Syria Int’l Book Fair: A Cultural Event against Extremism (+Photo)

According to the book fair’s official website, 150 Syrian and foreign publishing houses participated the event.

This is the second round during post-war Syria that has been named ‘Continuity’ and includes seminars and culture lectures, among other activities.

The first round of the book fair was launched in 1985 and has been launching on an annual basis until 2012, due to Syrian war; however it was held again in 2016 with the participation of several foreign publishing houses including Russian, Iranian, and Lebanese houses.

The Syrian Vice President Najah Al-Attar and the country’s Information Minister Mohammad Ramez Tourjman attended the inauguration ceremony for the event which shows the Syrian government commitment for promotion of book reading culture in the country.

The Syrian information minister told Tasnim on the sidelines of the event that the culture of renovation is stronger than the culture of bloodshed and ruining in the country.

Huge participation of foreign publishing houses from Cairo, Algeria and Lebanon shows that “Syria is close to victory over terrorism,” he added.

Abir Aql, manager of a publishing house told Tasnim that holding the event shows people are hopeful about the promotion of cultural and scientific aspect of future generation life.

Nidhal Aboud, sales manager for ‘Al-Kitab Al-Arabi’ told Tasnim, “By promotion of book reading culture, we can counter the extremism and western ideologies which have penetrated into our region.”

Youth had also a huge turnout in the Syria international book fair and the organizers provided the child and the youth with books that immunize them from extremist ideologies.

“We are focusing on children because they have lived in the war-torn region for seven years,” Mrs. Falak, one of organizers in the Al-Hafez publishing center told Tasnim.

There was also a sector for exhibiting the handwritten manuscripts including the manuscripts of holy Quran.