The International Istanbul Arabic Book Fair, organized in partnership with Anadolu Agency (AA), brought together local and international participants with the world of culture, art and literature at the Istanbul Expo Center on Aug. 10-18.
Now in its ninth year, the fair is organized by the Press and Publishing Association, the International Association of Arabic Book Publishers, and the Turkish Press and Publishing Professional Association.
The fair hosts various events, including talks, exhibitions and workshops, where publishing houses from Türkiye and abroad showcase their works to readers.
Samir Atiye, director of the Palestinian Cultural House, stated in an interview with AA that this is their fourth time participating in the fair, adding: “There is a great deal of interest in our stand. People are not just interested in books but also in items like T-shirts and hats. We have visitors from both the Arab region and other countries.”
“Turkish visitors have shown interest in our association and culture before, but especially in the last 10 months, due to the events in Palestine, they are asking how they can help us culturally. We are constantly receiving suggestions and are in communication,” he added.
Atiye mentioned that they are doing their best to publish books related to the Palestinian resistance, adding: “In the coming months, these books will be translated from Arabic into Turkish. Unfortunately, as all segments have suffered there, our writers and literary figures have also been harmed. We have martyrs and injured individuals. Through our association, we are trying to provide as much help as we can.”
Syrian painter Tuka Mamo, one of the artists presenting her work at the exhibition, said that she has been involved in painting for seven years and taught herself how to paint.
“This fair is a very important event. It brings together Arabs from different regions culturally. The art exhibition here has also become a significant area. Many events are taking place, and everyone who comes makes sure to visit,” she said.
Mamo noted that she has visitors of all ages who show great interest in her exhibited works and added: “In the center of my work, there is a heart, with the Kaaba on the right side, the sunrise over the Kaaba represents the birth of Islam. On the other side, there is the Green Dome of Medina, where the tomb of our prophet is located. Above it is a sunset, symbolizing him as the ‘Khatam al-Anbiya’ or the last prophet, the golden color represents strength.”
“The gold details in this piece signify the strength of our faith, flowers bloom from the heart in the center, symbolizing that our hearts bloom when filled with Islam and faith. I am very grateful to both Arabs and Turks for their contributions to this fair. After all, we are all one.”
Imad Arabi, a representative of the International Doha Book Awards, said it was their first time attending the fair, explaining: “The awards were announced last year, here we can meet with the main audience, including writers and publishers, who will apply for the awards. That’s why we are here, it’s a very crowded and well-attended fair.”
Arabi highlighted that Istanbul serves as a cultural bridge, adding: “We came to this fair with that intention, and we found what we were looking for, many writers and cultural figures from Türkiye came here. Additionally, the fair’s most significant feature is that visitors from many different countries are present. We found that this is one of the rare spaces where we can see them together. In this sense, I believe we have achieved our goal.”
Sameh Alkhalaf, representative of the Swedish Arabic Publishers Association, expressed their satisfaction with the fair and their intention to participate in the future, saying: “Since we are the only stand from Sweden, visitors find it appealing. To be honest, the interest here is greater because the number of Arabic speakers in Sweden is low, whereas in Türkiye, there are many Arabic speakers. That’s why we receive more attention here, and this makes us happy.”
