The 72nd edition of the Frankfurt International Book Fair launched today with a series of digital events with the participation of a number of writers and authors around the world, and will continue until October 18.
The exhibition is held this year almost exclusively on the Internet, with the participation of 4,400 exhibitors from 110 countries, including the Hamad Bin Khalifa University Publishing House, which is participating for the fourth year in a row in the exhibition. This year’s exhibition program includes 260 hours and 750 speakers speak online.
The virtual “exhibition pavilion” dedicated to the HBKU Publishing House highlights the outcome of more than 11 years of creative work and publications for the house, including award-winning literature in both Arabic and English and translated works by some of the world’s most famous authors and translators. The house is keen to go another way towards globalization, and to conclude agreements to buy and sell book rights in line with its strategic vision, and to establish relationships with entities that open further doors for its publications.
Canada was scheduled to be the guest of honor of the exhibition this year, but this was postponed to next year due to travel restrictions related to the Corona pandemic.
In her opening speech, German Minister of Culture Monica Grüters expressed her wishes for the success of the exhibition’s digital edition, stressing that the German government supports the book sector, noting that up to 25 million euros have been allocated to publishing houses, libraries and book fairs in Frankfurt and Leipzig, to support the sector in overcoming On the Corona crisis, in addition to ten million euros to support authors and translators.
The Frankfurt International Book Fair is considered one of the most important events on the map of annual cultural events in the world, because it is the most important international exhibition for the circulation of cultural content, and it is also a hub for global media, and it sheds light on the features of diversity and innovation in the field of publishing and media globally.
