Damascus, Jan. 2 (SANA) The Damascus International Book Fair will host more than 650 cultural events across three specialized halls during its upcoming exceptional edition, organizers said, as part of efforts to engage a broad audience and provide diverse educational and cultural content.
Three specialized halls
Zuheir Shawish, Director of Child Culture and executive supervisor of the fair, told SANA that distributing activities across three halls is aimed at enhancing the quality and impact of the program by tailoring events to different audiences.
The main hall, which can accommodate more than 1,000 people, will host major public lectures by prominent invited figures. A second hall, with a capacity of about 250 participants, will focus on academic and elite-oriented discussions, while a third hall will be dedicated to book signings and meetings between authors and readers.
Themes reflecting Syrian society
Shawish said the fair’s cultural program will revolve around ten key themes relevant to Syrian society, with civil peace at the forefront. Other topics include family and children, addressing educational and social issues of broad public interest.
The program also features lectures in natural sciences, applied sciences and engineering, organized in cooperation with Damascus University and the Ministries of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Education, reflecting the diversity of knowledge interests within Syrian society.
Schedule and children’s activities
Most lectures will be held in the evening, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., to accommodate students and working participants. Morning sessions, from 10 a.m. to noon, will be dedicated to children’s activities and artificial intelligence-related programs.
Shawish noted close coordination with the Ministry of Education to facilitate visits by schools from Damascus and its surrounding countryside. A 1,500-square-meter area will include a children’s theater, a science discovery zone and interactive workshops designed to encourage reading and curiosity through guided tours, musical performances and educational activities.
Official and diplomatic participation
The fair is expected to host ministers and diplomatic representatives from Qatar, Turkey and other Arab countries. Additional activities will focus on children’s education and the Damascus Cultural Forum, which reviews experiences from previous editions of the book fair.
The fair is scheduled to open on Feb. 5 at the Exhibition City under the patronage of President Ahmad al-Sharaa, under the slogan “A History We Write… A History We Read.” Organizers say the event aims to help revitalize Syria’s cultural scene and reaffirm the importance of books after years of disruption and isolation.
