Media Center

Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities participated, on 4 November 2020, in the most renowned 39th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), held this year under precautions such as masks, temperature checks, social distancing and regular sanitization for COVID-19 measures, at Expo Centre Sharjah, (UAE). The fair, which runs until November 14, 2020 is themed “The World Reads from Sharjah” and reiterates the emirate’s cultural message to the world, highlighting the fact that knowledge sharing is key to human development and sustainable progress. Through its offline program, the 11-day book fair will offer members of the public with an opportunity to visit 1,024 publishers from 73 nations who are exhibiting over 80,000 new titles in English, Arabic and other languages.

Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities is taking part in this annual international cultural show with a myriad of latest cultural publications by Common Printing project and Knowledge Transfer project, as well as Al-Bahrain Al Thaqafiya and other various cultural publications. In fact the unique hybrid online-offline format this year in line with the UAE government’s efforts to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has strictly changed the activities of fair, reducing them to offering books for sale and visits to publishing houses. However, the cultural programme of the SIBF 2020 comprises 64 exciting discussions with 60 renowned authors, intellectuals, poets, politicians and artists from 19 countries, which will be delivered online via the “Sharjah Reads” virtual platform, allowing people from around the globe access to the entire programme remotely.
 
 Worth to mention that this year’s edition was not officially inaugurated like before, but rather under strict precautionary measures to ensure the safety of both participants and visitors to the fair will be observed throughout the 11-day duration of SIBF 2020, enforced by SBA in line with UAE government’s efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19. Thermal scanners and walk-through sanitization gates will be installed at all SIBF 2020 access and exit points. Additionally, a 5-hour disinfection will be carried out across the fair’s halls and publisher stalls daily throughout the 11-day event. SBA has requested visitors to strictly follow the safety protocol laid out by them including the wearing of facemasks and maintaining a physical distance from other visitors and publishers at the kiosks. 
 
A group of volunteers and security personnel will be supervising the exhibition grounds to monitor visitors’ compliance with the stipulated precautionary procedures. Moreover, a smart electronic system has been deployed by SBA to manage and organize visits, divided into four slots each day in order to limit the number of visitors at any given point in time. All visitors to the fair will need to book their visitation slots by registering online at sharjahreads.ae. Upon arriving at Sharjah Expo Centre in accordance with their booked slots, each visitor will be given a colored bracelet to monitor the timings of their entry and exit.