The 34th edition of the Doha International Book Fair will open tomorrow, Thursday, at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, running through the 17th of this month with Kuwaiti, Arab, and international participation.

This year's edition marks the largest in the fair's history, featuring 522 publishing houses from 43 countries, including 11 Palestinian publishers (this year's Guest of Honor), along with various government and private institutions, ministries, and embassies.

Key Highlights of This Year's Fair:

The launch of the inaugural Professional Literary Exchange Program, an initiative to enhance literary cooperation, copyright exchange, and translation efforts between Qatar and the global literary scene

Announcement of winners for the Doha International Book Fair Awards, including categories for:

Distinguished Publisher (Local & International)

Excellence in Children's Books (Local & International)

Creative Writer Award

Young Qatari Writer Award

Cultural Programming:

The main stage will host cultural and literary seminars featuring prominent Arab intellectuals

The Cultural Salon will present discussion sessions and book launch ceremonies

Two dedicated halls will host workshops across various cultural fields

First-time participation of Syria's Al-Halabouni Market Libraries showcasing rare books

A dedicated children's area with interactive cultural activities and displays of specialized children's literature

Historical Significance:

Established in 1972 under Qatar National Library's supervision, the biennial event became annual in 2002. The fair gained international status by attracting major global publishers, growing from 20 publishers in its first edition to 500 representing 40 countries today.

Since 2010, the fair has featured Guest of Honor countries including:

USA (2010), Turkey, Iran, Japan, UK, Germany, Russia, France, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and this year's honoree - Palestine.

The Doha International Book Fair remains one of the region's oldest and most prestigious literary events, drawing significant participation from Gulf, Arab, and international publishers and visitors.