The 36th edition of Sharjah International Book Fair, SIBF, will take place from November 1st-11th at Expo Centre Sharjah, bringing together hundreds of authors and publishers from around the world along with distinguished guests to participate in a comprehensive programme of activities that include conferences, reading sessions, panel discussions and lectures.

"Over the course of its three-and-a-half decades, SIBF has become established as the region’s premium platform for the very best in science, literature, art and culture. The fair was conceived by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, whose vision has led to a cultural renaissance that has enriched human knowledge, elevated intellect and created a solid foundation on which younger generations can build a better and brighter future," said Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority, SBA.

"Since its inception 35 years ago, SIBF has been one of the main pillars for this cultural renaissance, with each edition building on the success of the previous one. SIBF has developed into the third largest book fair in the world and is an event that attracts thousands of publishers, authors and illustrators, as well as millions of visitors, from around the world," he added.

As announced by SBA earlier this year, the United Kingdom has been chosen as the SIBF ‘Country of Honour’. To celebrate, a special programme showcasing some of Britain’s most honoured cultural and literary figures will be organised by the SBA in collaboration with the British Council.

"Our ongoing efforts to develop SIBF chime perfectly with Sharjah’s latest achievement, which is its selection as World Book Capital 2019 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation. This title is an international recognition of Sharjah’s pivotal role in the field of culture, knowledge and literature and underscores the fact that the emirate has become the cultural beating heart of the region," the Chairman of SBA said.

"The forthcoming edition of SIBF will bring together an elite group of authors, publishers and artists from around the world. It will feature a diverse Cultural Programme, which will address different forms of literature, arts and sciences. The programme forms part of SIBF's vision to be a key element in the building of a knowledge-based society and in creating a generation of readers who are the future of Sharjah and the UAE," Al Ameri noted.

The 36th edition of SIBF will be preceded by the seventh edition of the Professional Programme, which will take place on October 30th and 31st and which is expected to witness the participation of 250 global publishers and industry experts. The Professional Programme will highlight the most recent developments taking place in the publishing sector and will organise one-on-one matching sessions to facilitate agreement-making between attendees.

SIBF 2017 will also see the fourth edition of the ALA Library Conference, which takes place from November 7th to 9th and which will feature a host of librarians from the region, the USA and other countries. The conference offers an array of activities and sessions on a wide range of important topics for archivists working in university, public, school, government, and special libraries.