ShareKuwait: Minister of Information and Culture, State Minister for Youth Affairs and Chairman of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi said, Wednesday, that the 45th Kuwait International Book Fair is the largest cultural event in the country.
In his speech, as Al-Mutairi represented His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at the opening of the 45th Kuwait International Book Fair in Mishref, he said that this cultural event includes various activities starting today until the 26th of December.
A total of 29 countries are participating in the book fair, including 18 Arab countries and 11 foreign, as well as 404 publishing house and 117 other participation, added Al-Mutairi, pointing out to Italy's participation as the bool fair's guest of honor.
He explained that the book fair provides an opportunity for Kuwaiti youth to present their creativity and vision through local publishing houses, adding that activities held on the sidelines of the book fair are a great opportunity to exchange experiences and cultures, which contributes greatly to the development of societies.
He stated that through this cultural event, "we introduce our Arab identity and gain from other cultures, especially with the number of books entered in the electronic catalog of the book fair, reaching 230,000 title".
In a statement to KUNA, Palestine Ambassador to Kuwait Rami Tahboub expressed his excitement for participating in the book fair after almost three years, noting that the opening of the book fair today was great as it received a large attendance and wide participations of Arab and foreign publishing houses.
The Palestinian Ministry of Culture is participating in Kuwait's International Book Fair this year with new publications that reflects Palestinian culture, its past, present and future, added Tahboub.
President of the Arab Publishers Association, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Lebanese House and the Arab House Bookshop in Cairo Mohammad Rashad confirmed, on the sidelines of the book fair's opening, the keenness of Arab publishers to participate in Kuwait's 45th Book Fair.
The opening ceremony of Kuwait's International Book Fair was attended by a large number of Kuwaiti and Arab intellectuals, as well as a group of ambassadors of Arab and foreign countries and several diplomats, in addition to the remarkable public presence.
