Damascus, Feb. 14 (SANA) Syria’s Culture Minister Mohammad Yassin Saleh said Saturday that publishers will not be charged participation fees at this year’s Damascus International Book Fair, including costs for renting exhibition space.
The minister told SANA that the decision was issued under directives from President Ahmad al-Sharaa and applies to all publishers taking part in the “landmark edition” of the annual event. He added that the fair’s cultural and intellectual role takes priority over commercial considerations.
“Through this fair, Syria returns with strength and regains its word, meaning and identity,” he said. “The sun rises again from here — the sun of letters and the sun of civilization.”
The Damascus International Book Fair opened on Feb. 6 at the capital’s fairgrounds and runs through Feb. 16, bringing together institutions from 35 countries and underscoring efforts to reestablish Syria’s cultural links with the wider world.
