The 2020 Sharjah International Book Fair to go ahead with safety in mind

The annual affair is the biggest publishing event in the region

The Sharjah International Book Fair will take place this year at the Sharjah Expo Centre. Reem Mohammed / The National

The Sharjah International Book Fair will go ahead this November with stringent safety measures in place, according to event organisers.

The news comes with the announcement that the annual literary gathering, due to take place from Wednesday, November 4 to Saturday, November 14, at the Sharjah Expo Centre, has already sold out all of its exhibitor space. Meanwhile, the list of guest authors attending the fair will be revealed later in the year.

Such a reception points to the regional and international publishing industry beginning to bounce back after the pandemic cancelled a slew of book fairs including, London, Paris and Abu Dhabi.

“It is heartening to receive such strong industry support even in these challenging times, which drives us to host an exceptional edition this year to continue benefitting both the reader as well as local, regional and global publishing markets,” said Sharjah Book Authority chairman Ahmed Al Ameri in a statement.

“We are committed to employing the highest international health and safety standards on the exhibition site, and will have detailed preventative protocols in place to ensure the safety of participants and visitors during the book fair.”

With the Sharjah event the biggest in the region in terms of attendance – over 2 million people attended last year’s festival over its 10 days, - Al Ameri said the professional stream of programming for this year’s events will address the business challenges posed to the industry by the coronavirus.

“This year, the fair will shine a strong spotlight on ways publishers can collaborate to successfully navigate the challenges posed to their businesses, complete projects stalled due to Covid-19, and continue operating profitably in the fast-changing market landscape,” he said.

Sharjah joins Frankfurt in making book fairs Covid friendly 

Sharjah International Book Fair’s decision to carry on this year follows May’s announcement that its Frankfurt counterpart will also go ahead.

Held from Wednesday, October 14, to Sunday, October 18, the Frankfurter Buchmesse is the largest book fair in the world and will adopt a hybrid model of digital and physical events.

Those attending the event in person should expect a redesigned floor plan with the fair presently consulting with health authorities to ensure the safety of delegates and public.

When it comes to the major stages, typically home to high-profile keynote sessions with hundreds in attendance, the fair plans to migrate some events online or conduct them indoors with safety precautions.

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award, run by the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi), told The National recently that it will participate in Frankfurter Buchmesse's digital events program.

In a previous interview with The National, Al Ameri said a decision on the Sharjah Book Authority's participation in Frankfurt will be made in the near future.

For more information on the Sharjah International Book Fair go to www.sibf.com