The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre organised the 35th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The event runs through September 18 at the ADNEC Centre and proceeds under the theme Turn the Page, Read the World. Organisers have aligned the programme with the UAE’s Year of Family to promote lifelong learning and community ties while hosting Balkan Culture as guest of honour in partnership with the Republic of North Macedonia.
Exhibitors from 95 countries are taking part with first-time participants from Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Kosovo and Cuba according to a WAM report. The fair includes some 1,500 cultural and knowledge events that convene writers, thinkers, academics, publishers and creative professionals from across the globe. It will also stage the awards ceremony for the 20th edition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award which recognises contributions in authorship, translation and research.
Organisers selected the renowned linguist Al Khalil ibn Ahmad Al Farahidi as the focus personality and named Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes as the Book of the World for the current edition. These choices recognise historic figures and texts that have influenced thought and encouraged civilisational dialogue the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre stated. The selections form part of a broader effort to highlight works that continue to shape contemporary cultural conversations.
The fair originated in 1981 when the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan launched it as the Islamic Book Fair at the Cultural Foundation with an initial 50 publishers historical records maintained by the centre show. It acquired its present name in 1986 grew to include 70 publishers that year and became an annual fixture open to wider Arab and international participation from 1993 onward. Participation expanded steadily in subsequent decades reaching more than 1,000 exhibitors from dozens of countries by the mid-2010s according to compiled industry data.
The 2024 edition drew 231,168 visitors and recorded sales of 160,152 books organisers figures indicate. The 34th edition in 2025 extended to 10 days for the first time and attracted approximately 400,000 attendees while posting a 65 percent rise in sales a Publishing Perspectives assessment found. These attendance levels reflect the event’s evolution into one of the region’s leading platforms for publishing and public engagement with literature.
Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji the executive director of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and fair director told WAM that throughout its history the fair has presented a pioneering model for building a global knowledge-based society. Al Tunaiji noted that the gathering advances Abu Dhabi’s role as a hub for knowledge production and cultural exchange. The director added that the programme supports the publishing sector and the creative industries more broadly.
Additional activities at the fair focus on family-oriented sessions and youth workshops in keeping with national priorities the centre reported. The event continues to draw international media coverage with thousands of articles published around previous editions. Such reach has helped position the fair as a key venue for rights trading and professional networking among global publishers.
