The 27th edition of the Muscat International Book Fair was opened on Wednesday under the auspices of Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al Busaidy, Minister of Interior, at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. The exhibition which lasts for 11 days, includes around 32 participating countries, 826 publishing houses, and 533,063 titles.
The number of Omani publications at the book fair stands at 22,950 alongside 5,900 new releases, in addition to 204,411 foreign books and 260,614 Arabic books. The 27th edition of the book fair includes 165 cultural events and 166 children’s activities - all to come up in 1,194 pavilions.
A special corner will be dedicated to Omani authors and publications, including those written in Zanzibar, Arab, and European countries. Ahmed al Sabahi, Head of the Exhibition Organising Department at the National Records and Archives Authority, said the authority’s participation comes in publishing Omani history through the publications issued by the authority. The participation came with the presentation of 31 publications of the authority, the most prominent of which is the historical relations between the Sultanate of Oman and East Africa.
Yang Shapjun, editorial director for the Fine China series, said: “ This is our first participation in the book fair, and we have many books, the most important of which is the smart approach to learning Chinese language. It is a simplified curriculum for teaching children the Chinese language." The book fair provides a number of cultural halls, like the Ahmed Bin Majid Gallery, Al Farahidi Gallery, Ibn Dureid Gallery, and Al Awtabi Gallery. The book fair has a 3D feature, and many cafés to provide fun time to families and friends in their search journey for their favourite books and authors.
Many events are to be held in conjunction with the book fair, including a Children's Corner where an area has been allocated for family activities, a theatre and reading corners and workshops. Authorities having expertise in the book industry are taking part in the book fair, while authors will sign their respective publications. The book fair will provide an electronic application and a mobile catalogue. It will also promote volunteering activities to offer an opportunity to hone the skills of interested segments.
A corner will be allocated to signing cultural and literary publications. The management of the book fair provided electronic payment solutions at all its platforms in coordination with a local bank. Weekday mornings are generally dedicated to students and women, while evening hours from 2 pm to 10 pm are open to the public. Weekend timings are from 4 pm to 10 pm for the general public on Fridays, and from 10 am to 10 pm on Saturdays for the general public.
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