The 17th Erbil International Book Fair kicked off Wednesday morning, featuring participation from 22 Arab and foreign countries and 350 publishing houses, with more than one million book titles on display. The event, organized by Al-Mada Publishing House, runs from April 9 to 19 under the slogan “The World Speaks Kurdish.”
Fair spokesperson Yasser Al-Salim said that several publishing houses are taking part in an Iraqi book fair for the first time. Al-Salim added that hundreds of the displayed titles were published earlier this year. He explained that the slogan “The World Speaks Kurdish” coincides with Kurdish Language Day and reflects the recent surge in translation efforts across Kurdistan, as well as Google’s recognition of Kurdish as a primary language.
The fair will also feature dialogue sessions and a series of cultural, social, and political seminars covering a range of topics relevant to Iraq and the broader region. It will host prominent figures from the global art and culture scenes, with organizers anticipating strong engagement from visitors.
