Sharjah Book Fair: Kamal Hassan, Jeffrey Archer, Deepti Naval...

The 32nd edition of Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) will witness thousands of titles in different languages, a large number of celebrity authors and prominent personalities from around the world.

Among the 140 celebrities lined up to join the 11 days of eventful literary festival includes  Dr Ghassan Salame, Zahi Wihbi, Yousef Al Qaeed, internationally acclaimed best seller author Jeffrey Archer.

Former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam Assad, Indian film celebrity Kamal Hassan and actress Deepti Naval will also attended the fair.

Visitors at the Russian books stall, at the 31st Sharjah International Book Fair, on November 11, 2012. (Chandra Balan)

The fourth largest book fair in the world SIBF officials have doubled the budget for the 32nd edition.

His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah is keen to develop it as the world’s largest book fair in the near future.

Started way back in 1982 as part of his long term vision of the Sharjah Ruler to improve the literary activities in the UAE, this year, the event will host more than 1000 book publishers in different languages from 50 countries around the world, offering a record number of 405,000 books on diverse topics.

SIBF will be inaugurated on November 6 at the Sharjah Expo Center.

This year the Republic of Lebanon will be the cultural guest of honour in recognition of the country’s significant role in promoting and supporting Arab culture and intellectual contribution for the Arabic library and publishing sector. 

Nearly 300 of the world’s most popular publishing houses will take part in various literary and professional events organized as part of SIBF.

DC Books, leading Indian publishing house that publishes more than 1500 titles in an year said the India pavilion managed by Ravi DC, Chief Executive Officer, DC Books/Current Books will include among many activities, interactions with eminent Indian authors and celebrities like Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, who will speak about “The Birth of An Author”. 

On November 14, there will be a public interaction with Kamal Hassan. Eminent Indian authors like Rana Das Gupte, Ravinder Singh, Vikram Chandra, Marcus Sedgwick and himself will be speaking on November 7 about ‘the birth of an author in you’.

Students Interactions are also planned with Ruskin Bond, (children’s favourite author), and many other most wanted authors and celebrities.

On November 8, SIBF will celebrate the proud status of Malayalam as a classical language with Jnanapith Award winner, ONV Kurup, Sugathakumar, all-time favourite Malayalam poet, Kavalam Narayana Panicker, K Jayakumar, Poet and Vice Chancellor of Malayalam University, icon of Indian cinema Adoor Gopala Krishnan, Chemmanam Chacko and V K Sreeman, actor writer and social worker.

There will be special sessions with Steve Perry from America, Muhsen Hamed from Pakistan, as well as many other Arab thinkers, writers, poets and novelists.

Among the notable Arab writers and authors lined up are Mohammad Ali Shams Al Din (novelist), Wasini Al Araj (Novelist), Dr Sabri Hafiz (novelist),  Ibrahim Nasarulla (Novelist) Ibrahim Issa, Dr Fawzia Aldiria, among others.

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