HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani officially opened the 35th edition of the Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) on May 14 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center (DECC). The event, which will run through May 23, brings together a substantial gathering of publishers, authors, and cultural figures from Qatar, the Arab region, and around the world.

This year’s fair is one of the largest in its history, featuring participation from 520 publishing houses representing 37 countries. These exhibitors occupy 910 booths, collectively showcasing more than 1.85 million books spanning approximately 231,000 titles. Organizers have planned a dense cultural program including 46 panel discussions, 69 workshops, and 46 seminars, alongside the announcement of winners for the second Doha International Book Fair Award, which honors Qatari and international authors and publishers across six categories.

The opening ceremony was attended by sheikhs, ministers, heads of diplomatic missions, senior officials, and invited guests who toured the exhibition alongside the Prime Minister. The event highlighted Qatar’s ongoing commitment to cultural development and intellectual growth, symbolized in part by the launch of the “This Is Qatar” book project—an initiative designed to represent the nation’s diverse stories.

Qatar’s Ministry of Culture, which organizes the fair, plays a central role in coordinating a wide variety of activities designed to engage visitors of all ages and interests. In addition to showcasing regional and international literary works, the fair dedicates special attention to young readers, with interactive performances in the Doha Children’s Zone and outreach efforts including a mobile library bus visiting local schools.

According to HE Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari, Minister of State and President of Qatar National Library (QNL), the DIBF reflects the country’s cultural evolution and resilience amid regional challenges. He noted that the fair has become a major cultural milestone in the Arab world, distinguished not only by its scale but also by the quality and diversity of its participants. The QNL, though a relatively young institution, maintains a strong presence at the fair with its extensive collection of over 1.5 million books and its year-round cultural and educational programming.

Prominent Qatari media figure Saad bin Mohammed al-Rumaihi praised the Ministry of Culture for its continued efforts in organizing the event, emphasizing how the book fair highlights Qatar’s investment in literature and intellectual empowerment. He commended the growth in both the fair’s attendance and the breadth of its cultural offerings, including seminars, lectures, and exhibitions, which contribute to a vibrant cultural movement within the country.

The 35th Doha International Book Fair continues Qatar’s tradition as one of the longest-running and most significant literary events in the region, tracing its origins back to 1972. Since 2010, the fair has featured a guest country each year, with previous honorees including the United States, Turkey, Iran, Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, France, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Palestine. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. (with reduced hours on Fridays), the fair invites the public to explore a rich collection of literary and cultural works while engaging in a broad program of intellectual exchange.