Sharjah Book Fair opens today with 250 authors from 66 nations

Under the patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025) opens on Wednesday, bringing together more than 250 authors, creatives, and intellectuals from 66 countries to lead over 1,200 cultural, artistic, and creative events.

Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) at Expo Centre Sharjah under the theme ‘Between You and a Book’, the 12-day fair runs until Nov.16 and hosts over 2,350 publishers, including 1,224 Arab and 1,126 international publishers, offering millions of titles to visitors.

This year, the fair welcomes Greece as the Guest of Honour in recognition of its longstanding cultural and intellectual legacy. The programme includes 58 Greek publishers and cultural institutions showcasing 600 titles. More than 70 Greek participants, including authors, poets, translators, illustrators, academics, musicians, and librarians, will take part.

At its pavilion, Greece will host an exhibition titled ‘Greek Literature: The Long Journey’, which highlights the role of Greek writers, poets, and philosophers in shaping national identity and their influence on global literary and cultural heritage. The programme features a roaming theatre show, a musical-theatrical performance inspired by Greek poetry, interactive workshops, joint sessions with Emirati creatives, and live sessions at the Cookery Corner.

Egyptian writer and playwright Mohamed Salmawy is honoured as the Cultural Personality of the Year in the 44th edition, in recognition of a literary career spanning over five decades and his contributions to Arab theatre, literature, and cultural discourse.

Salmawy is regarded as one of the most prominent literary figures in Egypt and the Arab world, known for his impactful plays, novels, and journalism, as well as his advocacy for Arab cultural causes.

SIBF 2025 will host international star Will Smith in a session on Nov.14 (Friday). He will discuss his three-decade career in writing, film, music, and entrepreneurship, sharing insights on persistence, artistic growth, and creative vision.

Actors Khaled El Sawy and Dhafer L’Abidine will take part in a session titled ‘From Acting to Writing: Artists Share the Story’, as part of the ‘Art and Literature’ programme on Saturday, November 8 at 7:00 PM in the ballroom at Expo Centre Sharjah.

SIBF 2025 will also host a distinguished group of Arab writers and speakers with notable literary achievements, including Issa Yousef, Director of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority; Dr Sultan Al Ameemi, Chairman of the Emirates Writers and Authors Union; Dr Zahi Hawass; Dr Hamad Bin Seray; actor and producer Ahmed Al Jasmi; Egyptologist Dr Wasim Al Sisi; Egyptian author and speaker Mo Gawdat; Kuwaiti writer Taleb Al Refai; and Kuwaiti novelist Abdulwahab Al Rifai.

Attending the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair are also some of the world’s leading thinkers and authors who have shaped contemporary cultural and intellectual discourse, including Professor Carlo Rovelli, novelist Paul Lynch, Indian author Bano Mushtaq, Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Indian content creator Prajakta Koli, British psychologist Dr Julie Smith, and authors Mira Sethi and Lisa Dillman

SIBF 2025 will host the fourth edition of the Thriller Festival from Nov.8 to Nov.11 in collaboration with the Thriller Festival New York, featuring 13 authors and experts in crime, mystery, and psychological thrillers from North America, South Asia, Europe, and Africa.

Among the guests are Canadian author Jennifer Hillier, American authors Chris Pavone and Daniel J. Miller, Nordic crime writers Ragnar Jónasson and Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, British author Araminta Hall, Indian author S. Hussain Zaidi, Pakistani author Omar Shahid Hamid, and Mirna Al Mahdi, among others.

The festival will present an interactive theatrical performance titled ‘Murder at the Majlis’, written by American University of Sharjah graduate Bhoomika Ghaghada and directed by Tarun Shyam. Performed by AUS students, the show invites the audience to solve a crime live during the performance.

Over 12 days, SIBF 2025 will feature more than 1,200 events, including panel discussions and sessions. Of these, 300 events fall under the cultural programme, delivered by 66 international speakers from 19 countries, 62 Arab speakers from 20 countries, and 30 Emirati participants. Speakers from 10 countries are participating for the first time: Iceland, Jamaica, Nigeria, Mali, Chad, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea, Senegal, and Vietnam.

The fair will host 750 workshops, including exclusive ticketed sessions designed to foster creativity and professional development across disciplines such as translation, creative writing, screenwriting, and publishing.

These include ‘What Do Translators Really Do?’, ‘Creative Writing’, ‘From Final Draft to Finished Book’, ‘Five and a Half Steps to Pilot Writing Success’, ‘String Art’, ‘Music Box’, ‘Embroidered Stories’, ‘Preparing Balanced Lunches’, ‘Tasty Snacks’, and ‘Food Allergies.’

Children’s workshops include ‘Mini Library’, ‘Mini Café’, ‘Make Your Own Frame’, ‘Let’s Go Tufting Together’, and ‘Build Your Own House’. Tickets can be purchased through the official registration page.

WAM