Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

It provides a platform where publishers, booksellers, agents, cultural organisations and press can meet, exchange ideas and identify business opportunities.

The fair provides access to publishers in the entire MENA region, and as such is an important event in the negotiation and sale of book rights and licensing.

In 2009/10 KITAB and ADACH launched the Spotlight on Rights Programme, which awards a subsidy of $1000 towards costs to encourage the negotiation of licenses to and from the Arabic language.

It aimed to “provide a talking shop for representatives of all aspects of the publishing world to discuss issues at the forefront of copyright protection and enforcement globally today.” Matchmakings for international und Arabic publishing: „Many of them in the USA and in Europe have not realised, how interested the Arabic colleagues are..." (Mark Linz, American University in Cairo Press).

After the cultural scene was affected by the pandemic, the new session came with many events and activities and a large group of publishers, numbering 1,130 from more than 80 countries around the world.

[3] The fair will announce the winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction and honor the shortlisted candidates in conjunction with the celebration of the 15th anniversary of Abu Dhabi hosting the award.