Expo Centre, Book Fair officials hold cooperation talks

The next edition of the book fair will be held from November 11 to 21, 2009, at Expo Centre Sharjah. The previous edition, organised by the Department of Culture and Information of the Sharjah Government, featured more than 100,000 titles.

During their meeting at Expo Centre Sharjah, Mr Saif Mohammed Al Midfa, Director-General of Expo Centre Sharjah, congratulated Mr Ahmed bin Rkaz Amery, Director of Sharjah International Book Fair, on his appointment to the new position and wished him success in his work.

Mr Al Midfa said that the book fair is considered as one of the premier shows in the world due to the continuous support and patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

He said the fair aims to provide valuable information through books to all segments of the society to further expand the frontiers of knowledge, and is a step towards a confident and brighter future.

He said Expo Centre Sharjah is playing a key role in supporting the fair and praised the efforts by the Department of Culture and Information in promoting the exhibitions industry.

Amery, on his part, said that the book fair is now an eagerly awaited event among intellectuals, thinkers, writers, academics, students and common people. He thanked Expo Centre Sharjah for its efforts in supporting the activities of the event.

More than 700 publishing houses from various countries of the world showcased books on a range of subjects and categories such as electronics, Islam and children's books during last year's show.

A highlight of the event was the launch of a limited-edition, 580-page atlas, weighing 19 kilogrammes. The atlas, titled Earth, made its world debut in Sydney on October 9, 2008, after which it left Australia for a tour of the world with its final destination at the Sharjah event.