This November 4 to 15, 2026, the Sharjah International Book Fair will come back to Expo Centre Sharjah for its 45th edition. As one of the biggest book fairs in the world, the annual gathering will see visitors from not only the region but other parts of the world as well as writers, publishers, translators, illustrators, literary agents, and other cultural institutions gather.

During the 12-day long event, there will be plenty of book launches, author readings, literary talks, workshops, poetry recitals, children’s events, and other publishing-related activities.

Announcing Oman as Guest of Honour

Oman has been chosen as Guest of Honour for this year's festival, making Oman’s literary and intellectual history a major part of the festival.

With a special pavilion and several programmes organized around Omani literature and tradition, Oman will showcase their publishing scene, literary tradition, and current literature to an international audience. It is likely that there will be talks and discussions involving Omani authors and poets, exhibitions, panels, heritage programs, and other programs highlighting Oman’s contribution to Arab literature.

The Guest of Honour program will also make it possible for visitors to get a glimpse into the world of Omani literature and publishing scene.

A Platform for Readers, Authors, and Publishers

In addition to its cultural programme, the Sharjah International Book Fair will also include a series of events aimed at catering to readers of all ages. Among those events that visitors will be able to participate in are book signings, storytelling events, writing classes, meetings with famous authors and a great number of books in fiction, non-fiction, children’s literature, academia and translations.

For the representatives of the publishing industry, the fair will provide an opportunity to discuss issues related to rights negotiation, translations and collaborations.

Sharjah Expanding Its Cultural Footprint Abroad

"Sheikhah Bodour Al Qasimi, Chairwoman of Sharjah Book Authority, said that the fair continues to build bridges between readers, authors, and publishers and provides a chance for countries to showcase their story and their cultural perspective to the rest of the world."

This comes as part of the increased activities that Sharjah is undertaking on an international level. Earlier in May, Sharjah became the first Arab guest of honour in the Warsaw International Book Fair with its own literary dialogue sessions, poetry, and cultural performance program. The emirate also took part in the Beijing International Book Fair in June when the UAE was honored as the Guest of Honour.

Reinforcing Cultural Exchange Via Books

In light of all this, with Oman taking center stage in 2026, it is expected that the Sharjah International Book Fair will serve to increase the cultural exchanges between the Arab world and the international publishing community. This year, the book fair will not only honor books and writers but will also highlight the importance of publishing as a tool for language and cultural exchange.

With November in the sights of the organizers, the fair is all set to yet again cement Sharjah's reputation as a major literary destination worldwide.