Rabat – Rabat is about to turn the page on daily routine as it prepares to host one of the most anticipated literary gatherings in the region.
From April 18 to 27, the city welcomes the 30th International Book and Publishing Fair (SIEL), drawing writers, publishers, and thinkers from across the globe.
This landmark edition brings an impressive 775 exhibitors representing 51 countries, each adding their own story to a shared love of words, ideas, and imagination.
With more than 100,000 titles on display, the fair promises bibliophiles more than just volume. Its scale is matched by the diversity of its programming, with 311 direct and 464 indirect exhibitors offering everything from philosophy to poetry, history to sci-fi. Every corner of the literary world finds a voice in Rabat this spring.
Announced during a press conference in Rabat, the fair’s schedule features a daily average of 26 events. More than 760 speakers will participate in discussions, book presentations, poetry readings, and panels. Moroccan and international voices alike will engage with readers throughout the ten-day event.
The fair, organized by the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication in collaboration with the Rabat-Sale-Kenitra region and the city of Rabat, is part of a rising attempt to portray Rabat as a cultural epicenter.
The city’s anticipated status as UNESCO’s World Book Capital in 2026 lends even more weight to the fair’s importance this year.
One of the central themes this edition embraces is memory. The program pays tribute to cultural figures whose work left a lasting imprint on Moroccan heritage.
Writers, scholars, and artists who shaped the country’s cultural identity will receive special recognition, while the fair also honors voices from the broader Arab world through a collaboration with ALECSO. The Ibn Battouta Prize for travel literature and the National Reading Prize will both be awarded during the event.
This year’s expo features Sharjah as the guest of honor. The Emirate’s participation reflects its rising importance as a cultural center in the Arab world. Emirati publishers will join roundtables with Moroccan counterparts, while heritage performances, children’s workshops, and Arabic calligraphy sessions will offer visitors a more intimate view of the region’s creative pulse.
Morocco’s Minister of Culture, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, described Sharjah’s selection as guest of honor as a natural choice, pointing to the Emirate’s consistent support for Arab cultural collaboration. He also stressed the need to maintain strong bonds between Morocco and its diaspora, calling the fair an opportunity to celebrate those connections.
SIEL also turns its attention to the Moroccan diaspora. Four influential figures who shaped Moroccan life abroad will receive tributes. These include Amazigh scholar Abdellah Bounfour, the late playwright and museologist Ahmed Ghazali, pioneering journalist Amina Benhachem Alaoui, and the late novelist Driss Chraïbi.
The diaspora segment reaches beyond tributes. A poetry evening will gather Moroccan voices reading in Arabic, Amazigh, French, English, Spanish, and Italian. Ten landmark Moroccan films dealing with migration will be screened as part of a retrospective.
The fair also reserves a prominent space for young readers. A total of 712 activities are planned for children and students, including 660 educational workshops held in specially designed areas. A section devoted to the world of comics will display a print collection inspired by The Smurfs, giving younger visitors a playful entry point into the wonderland of storytelling.
Books have long held a cherished place in Moroccan life, from the ancient libraries of Fez to handwritten manuscripts passed down through generations. Today, that enduring tradition finds fresh momentum through SIEL, where the written word reclaims its place at the heart of public conversation, creativity, and cultural exchange.
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