Expo's launching

Kuwait book fair promotes intellectual prowess - minister

20/11/2019

KUWAIT-- Kuwait's annual international book fair is a testament to the country's firm belief that reading remains the key to learning and gaining knowledge, said a minister on Wednesday.

The event continues to draw spectators from across the wider Arab region, being one of the first local publishing expos, Information Minister Mohammad Al-Jabri told reporters as the book fair got underway.

Kuwait is home to a litany of famed authors and literary aficionados, some of whose works received exposure beyond the Gulf region, the minister added, pointing out that many of the attendees at the book fair are youngsters eager to check out the publications on display.

This year's edition of the event is expected to elicit a major turnout, according to the secretary general of Kuwait's National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters Tahani Al-Adwani, who revealed that more than 500 publishers would be represented.

In the run up to the event each year, a number of activities take place, including contests and seminars that aim to shine light on how culture is a major component of the Arab identity, said the expo's director Saad Al-Enezi.