Abu Dhabi International Book Fair has named The Republic of Türkiye as the Guest of Honour for its 32nd edition. The Fair, which will take place between 22-28 May at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, will host a dedicated Turkish Pavilion which will be accompanied by a dynamic cultural programme celebrating Turkish literature, children’s books and cuisine and highlighting cultural exchange between Turkish and Arabic cultures.

To mark the announcement, a signing ceremony was recently held at the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), led by HE Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of ALC, and HE Tugay Tunçer, Turkish Ambassador, and attended by guests including HE Saeed Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of ALC, and Münir Üstün, Representative of the Turkish Publishers Union and Representative of the Board of Directors of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce.

H.E. Dr. bin Tamim said: “We are delighted to welcome the Republic of Türkiye as the Guest of Honour of the 32nd edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. We look forward to welcoming authors, artists, publishers and thought leaders from Türkiye to join our dynamic programme of events celebrating the country’s cultural legacy and exploring its historic and contemporary creative links with the Arab region. As with previous years, I have no doubt that the Guest of Honour initiative will reveal new avenues for cultural exchange, as well as offer valuable opportunities for publishers and creators.”

The Guest of Honour programme will feature in-depth discussions on the cultural exchange between Türkiye and the Arab world and promote cross-cultural dialogue. Sessions and workshops will cover the history of Turkish literature, the journey of bringing Turkish TV series to Arabic audiences, and literary translations of Arabic and Turkish poetry. Visitors will be able to join talks and panel discussions covering a host of topics such as ‘Game Changing Women’, ‘Philosophy for Children’ and ‘Turkish Culinary Culture’.

H.E. Tugay Tunçer, Ambassador of Türkiye to the UAE said “We are honoured that Türkiye is chosen as the Guest of Honour of the 2023 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. We are confident that the Fair will serve as an opportunity to further elevate our cultural cooperation to new heights that would reflect the deep-rooted ties and shared cultural values between our brotherly nations.”

H.E. Mr. Münir Üstün, Executive Board Member of Istanbul Chamber of Commerce said “We are going to expand our export figures by signing a large number of agreements on copyright  during Abu Dhabi Book Fair.”

The Executive Board Member of The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Münir Üstün, underlined that the cultural industry beginning with the book printing activities, they are interested in economical version, and they supported the Abu Dhabi Book fair in order to get larger share from the international market. He added that the activities in the fair will pave the way in front of the copyright agreements between the countries  and will affect the culture, arts, and literature fields on both sides.

Drawing on the historic cultural ties between Türkiye and the Arab world, this year’s Fair will explore translation between Turkish and Arabic and delve into specialised topics such as ‘The Century of Turkish Literature from West to East, East to West’, ‘The Rhythm of Turkish Poetry’ and famous Turkish calligrapher  Mushaf Istanbul.

Visitors will have the opportunity to hear from Turkish authors and poets including Ahmet Ümit, Beşir Ayvazoğlu, Ömer Erdem, Sunay Akın, as well as leading academics and thought leaders such as author and literature researcher Kayahan Özgül, Professor of History and Turkish Studies Cemal Kafadar, Arabic Language Professor and Literary Translator Mehmet Hakkı Suçin, and Arabic Language Professor and Literary Translator Memduh en-Nebi.

To celebrate the rich heritage of Turkish cuisine and its links to literature, there will be a series of discussions and interactive workshops, featuring renowned authors, expert historians and famous chefs including Prof. Dr. Arif Bilgin, Saygin Ersin, Mary Işın, Arda Türkmen and Ömür Akkor.

Throughout the Fair, there will be exhibitions showcasing Turkish painters, illustrators and manuscripts. These include exhibitions such as ‘Manuscripts of Ibn Khaldun,’ ‘Children and Book Themed Paintings from Sketch to Illustration’, ‘Against the Windmills’ looking at Turkish painter Zahit Büyükişliyen’s life and work. There will also be sessions on the Turkish book market, which books are being read in Türkiye, international copyright trade and translation, as part of the Professional Programme.

Furthermore, there will be a spotlight on children’s and young adult literature and illustration, with a panel discussion featuring illustrator Gökçe Akgül, publisher and children’s writer Melike Günyüz, journalist and writer Yalvaç Ural and creator of the popular children’s programme King Şakir, Varol Yaşaroğlu.