Calling for ‘a more open dialogue regionally and internationally,’ Bodour Al Qasimi accepts UNESCO’s designation of Sharjah as World Book Capital 2019.
UNESCO Names the UAE’s Sharjah World Book Capital 2019
New recognition for efforts that Sharjah’s royal family and civic leadership have made, Sharjah follows Athens 2018 in the “World Book Capital” designation.
Looking for Cooperative Arabic-Balkan Translation Efforts in Sofia
From Radio Bulgaria: In an effort to promote translation exchanges in Arabic and Balkan literature, the Sofia Translation Forum explores options.
A Sharjah Publishing City Update: ‘We’re Selling Out’
‘To create a reading culture on the way to a knowledge-based economy,’ as Seth Russo puts it, Ahmed Al Ameri’s Sharjah Publishing City will soon be open for business.
In Iran, an Appetite for International Fiction Among Younger Readers
At the Tehran Times: Media access leads Iran’s young readers to want more complexity in fiction, say publishers, and ‘slightly altered’ translation.
Palestine Festival of Literature Marks Its First Decade in Ramallah, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Nablus
In its 10th year, ‘PalFest’ travels through various military checkpoints and prepares for the publication of an anniversary book from Bloomsbury.
Tehran Book Fair Features 380 International Publishers
From the Tehran Times and Financial Tribune: Of more than 1,600 publishers at the 30th Tehran International Book Fair, 380 are said to be from outside Iran.
Serbia’s National Library in Cultural Partnership With Sharjah Book Authority
From Gulf News: Aimed at cross-promotion of each other’s cultural initiatives, the new Serbia-Sharjah agreement will come into play at book fairs.
On Challenges in Children’s Books in the Middle East: Commercial and Contextual
From Gulf News: ‘There’s a need to bring children back to books,’ says one author, while another points to publishers’ reticence to promote area folktales.
Mohammed Hasan Alwan Interview: ‘How We Convey Ourselves to Each Other’
‘Writing and art are the kind of thing that’s going to bring us together,’ says Mohammed Hasan Alwan, on winning the Arab world’s biggest literary award.