Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), the 33rd Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) has attracted more than 200,000 visitors and achieved a 97 per cent visitor satisfaction rate, a 5 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
The fair, held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi), featured 1,350 publishers from 90 countries, showcasing their latest publications across literature, thought, philosophy, medicine, and technology, with a select group of writers, thinkers and influential figures participating in more than 2,000 activities.
Themed Where the World’s Tales Unfold, ADIBF 2024 featured several new events, with Egypt featured as Guest of Honour, making it the first Arab country to be highlighted at the fair. In addition, renowned Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz, the only Arab Nobel Prize laureate in literature, was chosen as the Focus Personality for this year’s edition.
The 2024 fair welcomed 145 new exhibitors and publishers, as well as 12 countries participating for the first time including Greece, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Pakistan, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Mozambique, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Indonesia.
His Excellency Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said: “The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair continues on its path of growth and milestone achievements, with yet another successful edition cementing its reputation as an industry-leading event in terms of content, form, innovation and display. This year’s fair allowed the public to learn about cultural innovations, discover new literature, and immerse themselves in art and creativity. It also provided an opportunity for Emirati publishers and authors to network and explore ideas that optimise the use of technologies, enabling knowledge to prosper and cultural and creative industries to thrive.”
This year’s edition of the ADIBF introduced the Book of the World corner, which spotlighted the renowned book Kalila wa Dimna by Abdullah Ibn al-Muqaffa for its inaugural edition, coinciding with the exhibition titled From Kalila wa Dimna to La Fontaine: Travelling through Fables, held at Louvre Abu Dhabi.
ADIBF included an array of other sections catering to visitors’ diverse interests. These included the Arts Corner; the Learn platform, tailored to children’s needs; and cultural exhibitions from various continents at the pavilions of publishers from these countries. Also on the agenda was the World’s Cuisine section, showcasing global culinary traditions, which reinforced the fair’s status as a premier family destination.
The fair’s comprehensive professional programme brought together regional publishing sectors and creative industries, in line with Abu Dhabi’s pivotal role in supporting print, visual, audio and interactive cultural works, and keeping pace with the latest developments in publishing and technology, including artificial intelligence. The aim is to cement the capital's position as a hub for Arab publishing and global creative content, and to enhance the fair as a leading global competitor in the sector, striving to develop and sustain the Arab and global publishing industry while facilitating communication among all stakeholders worldwide.
