Erbil hosts 17th international book fair with international participation

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The 17th International Book Fair kicked off in Erbil on Wednesday, featuring hundreds of publishing houses from around the world.

“This year, 350 publishers from 22 countries are participating in the book fair,” said Bewar Perasali, spokesperson for the event.

The fair’s theme this year is “The World Speaks Kurdish,” with 61 of the participating publishing houses being Kurdish. The event kicked off on Wednesday, running for 11 days. 

The al-Mada Foundation for Media, Culture and Arts is organizing the fair, as it has for all 17 editions held in Erbil.

“It’s our twelfth time participating in the fair,” said Awer Hassan, supervisor of Awer Publishing House, adding that they are showcasing 600 titles this year, including 15 new releases.

Sayran Wafa, supervisor of Madyar Printing House, said they have brought 200 books covering a wide range of topics, including politics and literature.

“We’re based in Sna [Sanandaj], in eastern Kurdistan [western Iran], and this is our third time participating,” she added.