Bahrain Book Fair Return Proposed

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A proposal to bring back Bahrain’s international book fair and hold it every year has been sent to Parliament with a Services Committee recommendation for approval, eight years after the last full fair was held in 2018.

The proposal asks the government to stage a new round of the fair and put it on the yearly calendar. Its sponsors say the fair would widen access to books, help readers, give writers and publishers a shop window, and add to Bahrain’s cultural offering.

The plan draws on Article 9(a) of the Constitution, which says the state shall care for science, literature and the arts, encourage research, and provide educational and cultural services for citizens. The proposal argues that a book fair falls within that duty.

It says a yearly fair would help bring visitors from outside Bahrain and boost cultural tourism. It would also give students, academics and postgraduates access to more scientific and literary works.

There is also a heritage aspect. The proposal says books on Bahrain’s history, culture and heritage would help keep public knowledge of the kingdom’s past alive, while giving local authors a place to show and sell their work.

The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities told the committee that book fairs are not easy events to arrange. They require early work with government bodies, publishers’ groups in the GCC, directors of overseas book fairs, the Arab Publishers Association, publishing houses, sponsors and venue teams.

The authority said the timing of any fair also has to be weighed against Bahrain’s cultural and tourism calendar, so it does not clash with large public events. Budget cover and prior approvals are also needed.

The last Bahrain International Book Fair was the 18th edition in 2018, held during Muharraq’s year as Capital of Islamic Culture. Another round had been planned for 2020, but Covid-19 stopped it from going ahead. The 2022 edition was also dropped.