If you love books, you’re going to want to get this event on your radar. The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is returning to the capital for 2022 with an incredible programme of events plus loads of books to love.
The seven-day fair launches on Monday May 23 and goes until Sunday May 29. It will include 450 events to participate in and over 1,000 exhibitors to see. That’s a lot of books. Are you ready to read?
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair will draw in publishers, international and local authors, artists and bibliophiles alike, so get ready for some incredible conversation and learning. The programmes promote cultural and academic dialogue through a series of events that focus on language, translation, literature and poetry across cultures.
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2022 includes children’s activities, music shows, book signing events, film screenings, talks, artwork and even a gaming section. Education is at the heart of the festival, so be sure to bring the kiddos along, too.
The event runs daily from 9am to 10pm at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). This year the guest of honour is the Federal Republic of Germany, which will be hosting a diverse range of cultural and vocational sessions. Wondering what else there is to look forward to? Check this out (and be sure to bring your tote to carry all those books).
Books and modern heritage
If you’re interested in architecture and history, you’re not alone. The interest in books on Gulf architecture is growing. Head to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair to hear publishing director Björn Rosen from Berlin and Alamira Reem Bani Hashim, author of Planning Abu Dhabi – An Urban History, discuss architectural concepts in this talk. Björn is a journalist and publishing director and Alamira is the first Emirati woman who hold a PhD in City and Regional Planning, which she received from the University of California, Berkeley.
Buy books
What’s a book fair without books? Of course there will also be loads of books on offer at the Abu Dhabi Interntional Book Fair. Flip through through fantasy, sci-fi, comics, history novels and popular science, plus, the top biographical non-fiction. Come with extra bags and be prepared to go home with plenty of new titles to read on the couch.
Children’s oasis
Heading to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair with little learners? Take them to the children’s oasis where there are special activities catered to younger readers. They’ll get to take part in interactive workshops and meet fun characters from children’s stories.
Film screenings
Love cinema? The Goethe Institut in cooperation with Frankfurter Buchmesse is inviting you to explore German literature through movies with this series of screenings. The mini German film festival will be held under the motto “German Stories” with three films depicting different periods and aspects of German society. Want to watch and learn? The screenings will run on May 27 from 7pm to 10pm.
Gaming hub
Want to get lost in a fantastic video game, or learn more about gaming? Keep an eye out for the Gaming hub, where you can settle into a fantastic story. It’s one of the must-try things to do at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
Historical fiction
Constanze Neumann and Salha Obeid will discuss their novels and the relationship between historical fiction and facts in this talk at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Neumann is a literary translator and novelist who runs a publishing house in Berlin, and Obeid is an award-winning Emirati writer and novelist.
Language and identity
Curious to find out more about how migration impacts writers and their work? In this talk, Olga Grjasnowa and Deepak Unnikishnan will discuss how the experience of migration influences their writing, how writers from abroad are represented in Germany and the UAE and which challenges they face. Olga is from Baku, Azerbaijan and is one of Germany’s most admired young authors; Deepak is an award-winning writer and novelist from Abu Dhabi.
The power of words
If you’re interested in spoken word poetry, you won’t want to miss this talk at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Best-selling author Pierre Jarawan will speak with Emirati award-winning spoken word poet and scholar Dr. Afra Atiq about the slam scenes in Germany and the UAE. They will also discuss the power of writing slam poetry as well as fiction.
When comics and cultural heritage meet
Love comics? In this talk, comic book author Anke Kuhl (“Manno”) will be speaking with Emirati comic artist Mohammed Alshaibani about the creation process of a comic and how cultural heritage is reflected in stories and artworks. Anke is an award-winning illustrator and author; Mohammed is a comic book artist who holds an MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design.
Writing for theatre
Authors Olga Grjasnowa and Moritz Rinke will chat about what it’s like to write for theatre versus writing a novel. Olga is from Baku, Azerbaijan and is one of Germany’s most admired young authors; Moritz is a novelist and journalist who studied at Gießen University’s drama department.
Ace authors
Roger Allen
Prominent American contemporary Arabist who handled the successful translation of several Arabic novels, including by Naguib Mahfouz and Abdul Rahman Munif.
Muhsin al-Musawi
Literary critic and professor of classical and modern Arabic literature, comparative and cultural studies at Columbia University.
Mon May 23-Sun May29, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) adbookfair.com.
After more reading inspiration? Click here to see the must-read books.
