Muscat Book Fair Champions Cultural Unity Through Diversity

The 29th Muscat International Book Fair celebrates global harmony, welcoming 674 publishers and spotlighting cultural diversity as a path to unity.

on May 01, 2025

Muscat Book Fair Champions Cultural Unity Through Diversity

Muscat: The 29th Muscat International Book Fair, which opened at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, shifted away from last year's international theme of artificial intelligence to promote cultural diversity as the way to unity.

"Last year, AI was in the spotlight, but this year, Oman is going practical," Sheikha Al Mahrouqi, Acting Director General of International Media at Oman's Ministry of Information, informed PTI Videos.

By this Book Fair, we are sending out an important message: accept our diversity and love each other as we are," she added.

Having the theme of 'Cultural Diversity Enriches Our Civilisation', the fair, launched on April 23 and will end on May 3, aims to inculcate peace and harmony by means of books and cultural understanding.

In a world crying out for togetherness, we must utilize culture, especially book fairs, as an instrument promoting peace and harmonious co-existence among ideologies, religions, and backgrounds," Al Mahrouqi emphasized.

One of the largest book festivals in the region, the fair welcomes 674 publishing centers from 35 countries, featuring 681,041 titles that include 467,413 Arab books, 213,610 international books, and 27,464 Omani publications. It also hosts some 52,205 new publications from the 2024-2025 season.

Al Mahrouqi highlighted Oman's long historical cultural and trade relations with India, that have been cemented by the visit of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in 2023.

"Our engagement with India is historical — trade to cultural influences. His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq's visit to India in 2023 capped our long years of engagement," she added.

Al Mahrouqi also appealed to international media to bring forward diversity stories to promote peace, saying, "Embracing differences is essential for progress and prosperity."