The 31st Doha International Book Fair events continue at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. The book fair’s theme for this year is “Knowledge is light,” and it is organized under the aegis of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. In addition to exhibits, the book fair offers a wide range of cultural events and activities, including plays, such as the musical Al-Asmay Baqouh, and lectures, in addition to discussion forums that are held virtually because of the pandemic.
Yesterday, a host of government leaders, ministers, and Arab official guests visited the book fair and attended some of the day’s events, such as a discussion forum on Italian author Gianni Rodari’s The Cake in the Sky and Funny Stories in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Hamad Al Thani, Minister of Culture. The forum was organized by Al-Jasrah Cultural Club.
A number of new books were launched yesterday at the book fair, including Dr. Jassim Al-Sultan’s Wijdan’s Guide for Children and Care Givers, a book that discusses the concept of value-based child care practices and the importance of adopting a structured approach to child care. Rawda Al-Amiri’s novel Marjan, which explores the values of wisdom and strong will, was another book launched at the same event. Other events that were held yesterday include a workshop on sports photography offered by Al-Jazeera Media Corporation, a discussion forum on historical literature, and a discussion session entitled The Role of Culture is Reinforcing the Environment and National Identity.
The Ministry of Culture spared no effort to make this year’s events exceptional because it is the 50th anniversary of the Doha International Book Fair, which started in 1972. The book fair reflects Qatar’s cultural leadership and Qatari efforts to promote culture and knowledge. The book fair hosts creatively designed exhibits and booths for 37 participating countries, 430 publishers, and 90 proxy Arab and international publishers. These exhibits make the book fair a unique opportunity to explore the latest in the world of creativity, intellectual pursuits, literature, and science. This year’s book fair is the largest ever in Qatar in terms of the numbers of participating countries and publishers.
Numerous government agencies are also participating in the 31st Doha International Book Fair by organizing reading workshops and diverse cultural events and activities that aim to enrich the intellectual and cultural offerings at the fair which welcomes visitors of all ages.