As Lebanon faces the repercussions of successive economic and security crises, attention turns to the 67th edition of the Beirut Arab International Book Fair. The fair aims to maintain the Lebanese capital's position as a center for Arab publishing and thought despite the challenges facing the cultural sector.
The fair's events, organized by the Arab Cultural Club in cooperation with the Lebanese Publishers Union, will take place from October 9 to 18 at the "Sea Side Arena" on Beirut's corniche. Approximately 165 publishing houses will participate, including 23 from outside Lebanon, according to Salwa al-Sunnioura Bwasiiri, president of the Arab Cultural Club.
In the same context, the fair includes a cultural program featuring approximately 90 events, including intellectual and literary seminars, lectures, and evenings, as well as book signing ceremonies and activities for children. The meetings will also discuss developments in the region, including the transformations that Syria has witnessed following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
For his part, Lebanese journalist and writer Munir al-Rabi' said during the signing of his book "The Secrets of Assad's Fall" that the book covers the period marked by the fall of the Syrian regime and includes interviews with figures from the new Syrian government and others from the former regime. Al-Rabi' clarified that he signed the book in Damascus before presenting it in Beirut, considering this to reflect the continuity of cultural exchange between Syrians and Lebanese.
Al-Rabi' added that Lebanon and Syria have an opportunity to enter a new phase based on leveraging regional integration opportunities, including in the fields of geographical connectivity, trade, energy, and technology. He stressed the importance of understanding history and absorbing its transformations to outline the future, emphasizing the necessity of supporting Syria's development, prosperity, and return to the regional and international systems.
Former Lebanese Minister Ghada Shrem pointed out that holding the fair amid the circumstances the region is going through carries a cultural significance as a space for civilization, openness, and communication between societies. She affirmed the necessity of maintaining the presence of books regardless of changing circumstances, praising the organizers' efforts in expanding the fair's spaces and activities.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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