A total of 1,260 exhibitors from 63 countries will participate in the 26th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), including 600 authors and over 20 artists, said the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi).

ADIBF will take place from April 27 to May 3 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

The exhibition has expanded by 10 per cent compared to the hugely successful silver jubilee edition in 2015, increasing to 31,962 sq m, with the expanded Fair an opportunity to further the objectives and contribute to the UAE’s ongoing Year of Reading 2016 initiative.

"A commitment to diversified cultural activities undertaken to the highest standards of quality reflecting the rich Arab and local cultural tourism scene sets Abu Dhabi Tourism & Cultural Authority apart. Once again, the activities and events at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair reflect local and global cultural and intellectual concerns,” said Dr Ali Bin Tamim, member of the Authority’s Board of Directors.

“Italy has been chosen as this year’s Guest of Honour due to its importance to the cultural and political landscape in the contemporary world, and the cultural bonds that brought us together centuries ago. Selecting the great philosopher Ibn Rushd as ADIBF’s Personality of the Year recognises his credentials as a courageous historical thinker and his contribution to creating and spreading the region’s cultural renaissance", added Dr Bin Tamim.

In addition to the extensive cultural programme, the Fair’s 26th edition will attract visitors with a wide spectrum of interests according to Mohamed Al Shehhi, director of Research & Publication at TCA Abu Dhabi.

“We renew our loyalty to the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the nation, through the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, and we celebrate Arab creators and prominent narrators through the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF). This year through our Ibn Rushd as our focus personality and Italy as guest of honour, we combine two parallel lines in the history of humanity that bridge two flourishing Arab and European civilisations,” said Al Shehhi.

The exhibition will host 500 cultural initiatives that include highlighting the life of the Arabic-Islamic philosopher Ibn Rushd and others who contributed to Italy’s cultural and intellectual achievements.

The other initiatives include the Business Club area, Creativity Corner, eZone and Service Providers’ Area, Show Kitchen, Black Box Cinema, Cultural Programmes, the new ‘Signatures’ book signing initiative and the Illustrator’s Corner.

The exhibition also seeks to promote the publishing industry and books in the UAE and the region to become a centre for advanced and efficient copyright and intellectual property rights.

“At a time when we celebrate Italy as the Guest of Honour, our beautiful city of Venice, the bridge between Arab civilisations and Europe, is also witnessing an exhibition dedicated to Aldus Manutius, the inventor of the modern book and the publishing industry in the 15th century,” said Liborio Stellino, Italian Ambassador to the UAE.

"We have established an integrated programme aimed at bringing the public closer to Italian culture. We will open our cultural programme with a public concert by the Venice Quartette that will play classical music by prominent composers and musicians, such as Beethoven and acclaimed Italian composers Giacomo Puccini and Giuseppe Verdi. We have also curated an exhibition on important ancient Arabic manuscripts present in Italian libraries, especially from the Angelica Library in Rome,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service