Muscat: Bahrain’s participation in the 29th Muscat International Book Fair has been praised by Dr. Juma bin Ahmed Al Kaabi, Bahrain’s Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman. He emphasized the close fraternal ties between Bahrain and Oman and Bahrain’s commitment to maintaining a strong cultural presence at major events.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the event was held at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre under the patronage of Dr. Fahad bin Al Julanda Al Said, vice chancellor of Sultan Qaboos University. The fair brought together over 600 publishing houses from 35 countries, offering a wide range of publications across technical, cultural, political, and social fields.
Dr. Al Kaabi highlighted Bahrain’s annual participation as an opportunity to showcase its cultural heritage and enhance cultural engagement. He noted the growth of Bahraini-Omani relations under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, which is reflected in joint initiatives and cultural cooperation.
Rana bint Fahad Mohammad, Cultural Advisor at Bahrain’s Embassy in Oman, noted the strong visitor turnout at the Bahrain pavilion, which featured significant literary and heritage publications, underscoring Bahrain’s dedication to promoting its cultural legacy.
Khalifa Salem, a representative of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), stated that BACA’s pavilion included publications from the joint publishing project and cultural books by Bahraini authors. The pavilion also featured titles on heritage, literature, arts, history, and archaeology, as well as the Knowledge Transfer Project, which offers around 50 translated works from French, Italian, English, and other languages.
He added that BACA continues to promote Bahraini authors by supporting publishing initiatives, organizing lectures, hosting book launches, and enriching Arabic libraries with Bahraini intellectual and literary contributions.