Book Fair in Damascus, the participation of Asian and foreign publishing houses
Damascus – North-Press Agency
Safaa Amer
The International Book Fair is ongoing at al-Assad National Library, under the slogan “The Book Builds the Mind”, which was adopted at its 31st session in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Visitors at the fair told North-Press that the fair’s slogan reflects the current focus of rebuilding awareness among different groups of the Syrian people.
This year’s course was characterized by qualitative participation of Arab, Iranian, Russian, Indonesian and Danish publishing houses, where the number of publishing houses has reached, including 150 Syrian houses with more than 50,000 book titles.
The fair is witnessing signature ceremonies for about 400 books, according to the fair officials, as well as a varied cultural programs that include a cinematic festival for Syrian and foreign films.
The fair also celebrates the personality of the philosopher and poet, Abu al-Alaa al-Maarri, and holds a number of intellectual symposiums, plastic art exhibitions, manuscripts, poetry and stories of Syrian and Arab writers.
It also offers large discounts in addition to offers and rare books offered by the Syrian General Organization of Books.
Iyad Murshid, the director of al-Assad National Library said that the fair’s organizers were keen to allow as many publishing houses, cultural bodies and authors as possible to participate in the fair.
According to Murshid, “the aim of this openness is to turn the fair into a vital space for dialogue, interaction, and opinions on various affairs”, pointing out that the fair is a proof of the triumph of the Syrian culture and enlightenment over the terrorist ideologies.
Visitors hope the fair will leave “a new and different imprint that brings the book to the forefront of attention, and raise the importance of reading for the new generation, who are distracted by social media networks”.
This is the fourth edition of the International Book Fair in Damascus during the war years, the Book Fair at al-Assad National Library lasts for ten days from September 12 to September 22.
Safaa Amer
The International Book Fair is ongoing at al-Assad National Library, under the slogan “The Book Builds the Mind”, which was adopted at its 31st session in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Visitors at the fair told North-Press that the fair’s slogan reflects the current focus of rebuilding awareness among different groups of the Syrian people.
This year’s course was characterized by qualitative participation of Arab, Iranian, Russian, Indonesian and Danish publishing houses, where the number of publishing houses has reached, including 150 Syrian houses with more than 50,000 book titles.
The fair is witnessing signature ceremonies for about 400 books, according to the fair officials, as well as a varied cultural programs that include a cinematic festival for Syrian and foreign films.
The fair also celebrates the personality of the philosopher and poet, Abu al-Alaa al-Maarri, and holds a number of intellectual symposiums, plastic art exhibitions, manuscripts, poetry and stories of Syrian and Arab writers.
It also offers large discounts in addition to offers and rare books offered by the Syrian General Organization of Books.
Iyad Murshid, the director of al-Assad National Library said that the fair’s organizers were keen to allow as many publishing houses, cultural bodies and authors as possible to participate in the fair.
According to Murshid, “the aim of this openness is to turn the fair into a vital space for dialogue, interaction, and opinions on various affairs”, pointing out that the fair is a proof of the triumph of the Syrian culture and enlightenment over the terrorist ideologies.
Visitors hope the fair will leave “a new and different imprint that brings the book to the forefront of attention, and raise the importance of reading for the new generation, who are distracted by social media networks”.
This is the fourth edition of the International Book Fair in Damascus during the war years, the Book Fair at al-Assad National Library lasts for ten days from September 12 to September 22.