Sharjah International Book Fair 2025 hosted 1.4 million visitors and confirmed its status as the world’s top publishing rights hub for the fifth year.
SHARJAH: The 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) concluded its 12-day edition with a record-breaking 1,400,730 visitors from 206 countries, reinforcing Sharjah’s place as a global capital for books, knowledge, and publishing innovation. With 2,350 publishers from 118 countries and 3,321 rights meetings, the fair has once again become the world’s largest marketplace for publishing rights for the fifth year in a row.
Under the theme “Between You and a Book,” the 2025 fair focused on personal reading experiences and celebrated global cultures through a dynamic programme of 1,200 events and 750 workshops. Highlights included the participation of guest country Greece, over 1,000 new title launches, a multilingual Poetry Café, and appearances by international guests such as Will Smith, Zahi Hawass, Mo Gawdat, and Carlo Rovelli.
The event’s success was driven by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, who allocated AED 4.5 million to replenish library collections across the UAE. Sudanese publishers were also granted free participation, demonstrating cultural solidarity. Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi and SBA Chairperson led the execution of this vision.
Among the attendees, 125,890 school students engaged in literary and educational activities. Marine transport helped 87,674 visitors travel from Al Qasba and Sharjah Aquarium. Satisfaction rates were high: 96.3% for visitors, 90.91% for exhibitors, and 97.14% for Publishers Conference attendees.
Industry-focused events like the Publishers Conference and Library Conference drew hundreds of global professionals. The fair also launched cultural initiatives at Sharjah Airport and trained over 160 Arab and African publishers in partnership with NYU. These efforts ensure that Sharjah remains a forward-facing hub in the global publishing ecosystem.
