The Ministry of Culture and Sports has announced that the 30th edition of Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) will be held from January 9-18, 2020. 
The event will take place under the supervision and organisation of the Qatar Centre for Cultural and Heritage Events, which “is keen to utilise all its potentials to ensure the success and excellence of the upcoming edition of the exhibition”, the ministry has said in a statement.
The 2020 DIBF will coincide with the launch of the Qatar-France 2020 Year of Culture, offering an opportunity for French participants to have a significant presence at the event, according to the ministry. The DIBF is usually held towards November-end and early-December, and the decision to change the dates has come following a comprehensive review of events taking place in the country around that time and their schedules, the statement noted. “This is to avoid clashes between these events, in particular with the celebrations of Qatar National Day on December 18 as well as the timing of examinations in public and private schools,” it explained.
Keeping future editions of the DIBF in mind, the authorities concerned also took into consideration the fact that Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in November and December 2022. The 29th DIBF was held from November 29 to December 8, 2018. The exhibition will last for 10 days, giving exhibitors an opportunity to experience a distinctive cultural experience and allow publishers to showcase their diverse publications, especially new ones.
The Doha International Book Fair is one of the most important platforms of direct communication between authors, publishers and intellectuals for learning about what is new in the knowledge industry, as well as reflecting the state of the country’s cultural landscape, the statement points out.
The DIBF is one of the largest international book fairs in the region and enjoys great prestige, witnessing a large public turnout from Arab and foreign countries. The number of visitors has increase since the launch of the first edition in 1972. According to the ministry, the 2020 fair is expected to see the wide participation of Arab and foreign publishing houses.
In addition to a diverse range of books, cognitive media and e-books, the event will host various workshops and seminars that will enrich the cultural movement accompanying the exhibition.

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