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Ya Biladi
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Morocco Book Fair 2025 : More than 403,000 visitors and a 26% rise
The 30th edition of the International Book and Publishing Fair (SIEL 2025), which concluded on Sunday, attracted more than 403,000 visitors, marking a 26% increase compared to last year. In a statement, the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication noted that the event, held from April 18 to 27, brought together 756 exhibitors from 51 countries, offering nearly 100,000 titles. This edition placed a special spotlight on the Emirate of Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) and Moroccan writers from around the world. It further cemented SIEL's status as a showcase of Moroccan literary dynamism while positioning Rabat as a leading cultural destination, ahead of its designation as the World Book Capital in 2026. The Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad (CCME) praised the event's rich program, which featured more than sixty activities and over 170 guests from Morocco and 16 countries where Moroccan expatriate authors live. Across the SIEL spaces and beyond, including at a joint stand with the Ministry, these gatherings paid tribute to key figures in immigration literature, such as Abdellah Bounfour, Lalla Khiti Amina Benhachem Alaoui, Ahmed Ghazali, and Edmond Amran El Maleh, according to a statement. The Council also highlighted the special attention given to writer Driss Chraïbi, whose centenary will be celebrated in 2026. Other highlights included an exhibition featuring fourteen Moroccan photographers from around the world, screenings of ten pioneering films on Moroccan immigration, a multilingual poetry evening in Arabic, Amazigh, French, English, Italian, and Spanish with eleven poets, four philosophical roundtables, and twenty discussions around recently published novels and essays focusing on immigration themes. In addition, an immigration-themed bookstore offered more than 600 works showcasing the richness of Moroccan voices worldwide, including twenty new publications co-published by the CCME with Moroccan publishers. The Council also welcomed the launch of a new translation program, initiated by the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, aimed at translating the literary works of Moroccans around the world into Arabic.
Morocco World
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Morocco World
More Than 700 Exhibitors Gather in Rabat for 30th SIEL
Rabat – Rabat is about to turn the page on daily routine as it prepares to host one of the most anticipated literary gatherings in the region. From April 18 to 27, the city welcomes the 30th International Book and Publishing Fair (SIEL), drawing writers, publishers, and thinkers from across the globe. This landmark edition brings an impressive 775 exhibitors representing 51 countries, each adding their own story to a shared love of words, ideas, and imagination. With more than 100,000 titles on display, the fair promises bibliophiles more than just volume. Its scale is matched by the diversity of its programming, with 311 direct and 464 indirect exhibitors offering everything from philosophy to poetry, history to sci-fi. Every corner of the literary world finds a voice in Rabat this spring. Announced during a press conference in Rabat, the fair's schedule features a daily average of 26 events. More than 760 speakers will participate in discussions, book presentations, poetry readings, and panels. Moroccan and international voices alike will engage with readers throughout the ten-day event. The fair, organized by the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication in collaboration with the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region and the city of Rabat, is part of a rising attempt to portray Rabat as a cultural epicenter. The city's anticipated status as UNESCO's World Book Capital in 2026 lends even more weight to the fair's importance this year. One of the central themes this edition embraces is memory. The program pays tribute to cultural figures whose work left a lasting imprint on Moroccan heritage. Writers, scholars, and artists who shaped the country's cultural identity will receive special recognition, while the fair also honors voices from the broader Arab world through a collaboration with ALECSO. The Ibn Battouta Prize for travel literature and the National Reading Prize will both be awarded during the event. This year's expo features Sharjah as the guest of honor. The Emirate's participation reflects its rising importance as a cultural center in the Arab world. Emirati publishers will join roundtables with Moroccan counterparts, while heritage performances, children's workshops, and Arabic calligraphy sessions will offer visitors a more intimate view of the region's creative pulse. Morocco's Minister of Culture, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, described Sharjah's selection as guest of honor as a natural choice, pointing to the Emirate's consistent support for Arab cultural collaboration. He also stressed the need to maintain strong bonds between Morocco and its diaspora, calling the fair an opportunity to celebrate those connections. SIEL also turns its attention to the Moroccan diaspora. Four influential figures who shaped Moroccan life abroad will receive tributes. These include Amazigh scholar Abdellah Bounfour, the late playwright and museologist Ahmed Ghazali, pioneering journalist Amina Benhachem Alaoui, and the late novelist Driss Chraïbi. The diaspora segment reaches beyond tributes. A poetry evening will gather Moroccan voices reading in Arabic, Amazigh, French, English, Spanish, and Italian. Ten landmark Moroccan films dealing with migration will be screened as part of a retrospective. The fair also reserves a prominent space for young readers. A total of 712 activities are planned for children and students, including 660 educational workshops held in specially designed areas. A section devoted to the world of comics will display a print collection inspired by The Smurfs, giving younger visitors a playful entry point into the wonderland of storytelling. Books have long held a cherished place in Moroccan life, from the ancient libraries of Fez to handwritten manuscripts passed down through generations. Today, that enduring tradition finds fresh momentum through SIEL, where the written word reclaims its place at the heart of public conversation, creativity, and cultural exchange. Tags: Book fairBooksmorocco book fairMorocco literatureSIEL 2025
