The 26th Baghdad International Book Fair kicked off yesterday under the theme "Baghdad Is More Beautiful, When We Read."
Interestingly, Qatar is participating as guest of honour this year in a cultural showcase highlighting its heritage, history, arts, and culture.
The fair was inaugurated by Prime Minister of Iraq Mohammed S al-Sudani, Qatar's Minister of Culture HE Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, and Minister of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities of Iraq Dr Ahmed Fikak al-Badrani.
It was attended by Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture Dr Ghanem bin Mubarak al-Ali, Qatar's ambassador to Iraq Sultan bin Mubarak al-Kubaisi, and Their Excellencies, ministers, and ambassadors in Iraq. Running until Sept 21, the Ministry of Culture is participating with a booth that showcases Qatari intellectual production, promotion of the ministry's e-library, as well as cultural and intellectual engagement.
Al-Ali expressed his pride in Qatar's participation as guest of honour at this event, emphasising that it embodies the depth of cultural, historic, and brotherly ties between the two sisterly countries and their peoples.
Director of the Libraries Department at the Ministry of Culture Jassim Ahmed al-Buainain, underlined that the ministry has been committed to having a strong participation in this fair through showcasing intellectual production.
The participation includes showcasing the ministry's various releases, both old and new, in a wide diversity of knowledge fields, such as novels, law, as well as social and human sciences, in addition to outstanding releases of children’s and youth books and initiatives that encourage reading, al-Buainain highlighted.
He explained that the Qatari booth is characterised by a design inspired by Qatari traditional architecture that embodies national identity, expressing the connections between the past and present with a style that fuses authenticity with the spirit of innovation.
Al-Buainain further added that the booth showcases photographs capturing Qatar's modern landmarks, along with its traditional architecture, scenes of daily life, and the splendour of the land and marine environment.
Finally, he noted that alongside this participation, the ministry is holding intellectual seminars, lectures, and evening poetry sessions, as well as a variety of events devoted to children at the children’s zone. He highlighted that the programme also features performances by the Qatari folk troupe, presenting Al Ardha alongside other folk arts.
The booth further showcases traditional crafts such as goldsmithing and wooden shipbuilding, allowing visitors to watch artisans at work and engage directly with them. (QNA)
