44th Sharjah International Book Fair concludes with over 1.4m visitors from 206 nations

The 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) concluded with a 12-day programme that drew 1,400,730 visitors from 206 countries, reinforcing Sharjah’s status as a major global hub for culture, books, and industry exchange.

Under the theme “Between You and a Book,” the fair delivered one of its most internationally diverse editions, with 2,350 publishers and exhibitors from 118 countries, and a rights-trading environment unmatched anywhere else in the world.

Sharjah maintained its position as the world’s largest marketplace for buying and selling publishing rights, a distinction it has held for five consecutive years.

During the two-day Sharjah Publishers Conference, 1,599 publishers from 116 countries conducted 3,321 rights meetings, signaling continued confidence in Sharjah as a centre for commercial and creative collaboration.

Attendance patterns reflected broad demographic appeal. Visitors aged 35–44 formed the largest segment at 29%, followed by those aged 25–34 at 28%, while more than 125,890 school students took part in dedicated educational, literary and cultural activities.

A total of 87,674 visitors used marine transport from Al Qasba and the Sharjah Aquarium. Satisfaction rates remained high, reaching 96.3% among visitors, 90.91% among exhibitors, and 97.14% among Publishers Conference participants.

Leadership vision anchors cultural and humanitarian impact

The 44th edition continued to build on Sharjah’s long-term cultural strategy shaped by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

As part of his commitment to strengthening public access to knowledge, a Dhs4.5 million grant was allocated to replenish public and government library collections with new works showcased at the fair.

Sheikh Sultan's directives were advanced under the supervision of Her Highness Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), through a dedicated initiative to waive participation fees for Sudanese publishers.

The announcement supported publishers facing economic and humanitarian pressures while ensuring Sudanese writers and cultural producers remained visible and engaged within the regional and global publishing landscape.

SIBF emphasises Sharjah’s ‘reader-first’ approach

Commenting on the edition, Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, said: “The 44th edition of Sharjah International Book Fair focused on the reader as the foundation of knowledge. With the theme ‘Between You and a Book’, it offered a personal reading experience where each visitor found a space that spoke to them and sparked their curiosity.”

He added: “The presence of visitors from 198 nationalities reaffirmed Sharjah’s status as a global hub for cultural dialogue. It reflects the vision of Sheikh Sultan, who sees books as essential to intellectual and social progress.

"Under the leadership of Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, we remain committed to making the fair a space where knowledge and culture meet, where ideas are lived, and where readers deepen their understanding of the world around them.”

A dynamic programme of ideas, performance, and creativity

Egyptian writer and playwright Mohamed Salmawy was honoured as SIBF’s Cultural Personality of the Year, recognising over five decades of literary, journalistic, and cultural impact.

Greece participated as Guest of Honour, delivering a programme that highlighted its contributions to global civilisation. Its 200-square-metre pavilion, designed in the spirit of classical Greek architecture, hosted 58 publishers and cultural institutions and showcased 600 works in Greek and translated editions.

Throughout its 12-day run, SIBF offered 1,200 cultural, artistic, and intellectual events and 750 workshops featuring 28 guests from 9 countries.

The Cookery Corner brought together 14 chefs for 35 live demonstrations, while the Poetry Café hosted multilingual evenings in Arabic, Greek, English, Russian, Urdu, Punjabi, Malayalam, and Tagalog. Furthermore, over 1,000 new titles were launched across the fair’s exhibition spaces, contributing to a strong market presence.

Interactive programming remained a cornerstone of the fair’s appeal. The 360° Science Lab, led by Abdullah Annan, introduced chemistry through immersive stage demonstrations. The fantasy play Hide and Seek attracted family audiences, and composer Mohammed Alquhum performed a live music evening to a full house.

New additions included the Pop-Up Academy, offering 24 sessions by regional experts, the UK’s Poetry Pharmacy, and a Podcast Station showcasing notable regional shows such as Asmar, Karakpodcast, Kirsi Al Ithnayn, and Takhayyal.

International voices enriched this year’s programme, including global star Will Smith, Dr. Sultan Al Ameemi, Dr. Zahi Hawass, Taleb Al Refai, Dr. Wasim Al Sisi, Mo Gawdat, Khaled El Sawy, Dhafer L’Abidine, Carlo Rovelli, and Paul Lynch.

Sharjah’s cultural presence expanded to the airport

As part of a wider cultural activation surrounding the fair, SBA partnered with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security in Sharjah, with support from the Sharjah International Airport Authority, to introduce a special SIBF 2025 passport stamp for travellers arriving through Sharjah International Airport.

The campaign included cultural messages across arrival halls, reinforcing Sharjah’s identity as a gateway to literature and learning.

Reinforced global industry engagement, skills development and new market access

The 15th Sharjah Publishers Conference focused on the state of Arab publishing and its cultural relevance in the global context, featuring the largest presence of African publishers outside Africa, along with the widest participation from India and East Asia. Sessions addressed children’s publishing, crisis communication, SDG-related publishing roles, PR and marketing strategies, and sector-wide adaptation to global market shifts.

Running concurrently, the 12th Sharjah International Library Conference, organised with the American Library Association, brought together 400 librarians, academics, and researchers from 30 countries to examine the evolving role of libraries as active learning and community hubs.

Ahead of the fair, the Training Programme for Arab and African Publishers 2025, organised with New York University, welcomed 161 publishers from 18 countries, including 75 from Africa.

The programme explored three priority themes—developing audiobook publishing, transforming family-run publishing houses into global brands, and advancing digital distribution strategies. These initiatives reflect Sharjah’s continued investment in creating a resilient, innovative, and future-ready publishing ecosystem.