ADIBF 2025: Treasure Trove of Books, Culture & Entertainment
1,400 publishing houses from 96 countries taking part; fair selects Culture of the Caribbean Basin as Guest of Honour, Ibn Sina (Avicenna) as Focus Personality, and One Thousand and One Nights as Book of the World; over 2,000 events, including first-ever Poetry Majlis and inaugural Digitising Creativity conference; record number of visitors exceeding 3,00,000 expected
The 34th annual Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) is underway at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi. Organised by Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), the book fair was inaugurated on 26 April 2025 by UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Themed ‘Knowledge Illuminates Our Community’, the book fair will conclude on 5 May 2025.
HH Sheikh Al Nahyan toured the fair pavilions, viewed the latest publications from local and international publishing houses, and engaged with publishers to know more about the challenges and opportunities facing the industry amidst rapid digital transformation.
The fair will host over 2,000 events, including the first-ever Poetry Majlis and the inaugural Digitising Creativity conference, which focuses on the integration of modern technology in publishing, reaffirming Abu Dhabi’s role as a leader in the global publishing sector, and promoting sustainability in the industry.
The theme of the 2025 edition of the fair aligns with UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of Community’. The impressive list of 1,400 publishing houses from 96 countries taking part, reflects ADIBF’s status as a global platform for publishers, intellectuals, and creators, as well as a key destination for launching and promoting new releases.
HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), says, “The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair reflects our shared belief that knowledge is the cornerstone of connection, progress, and understanding. With a rich tapestry of cultural events, this year’s edition reaffirms Abu Dhabi’s commitment to fostering an inclusive, knowledge-driven society. The theme ‘Knowledge Illuminates Our Community’, speaks not only to the power of books to inform and inspire, but also to their unique ability to bring people together across cultures, languages, and generations. In the ‘Year of Community’, we continue to champion the Arabic language, while also celebrating literature’s enduring role as a universal source of inspiration and a guiding light for our collective future.”
ALC Chairman HE Dr Ali bin Tamim says, “Through its various themes and programmes, the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair highlights the level of attention given to the Arabic language, the book and publishing industry, and the creative industries, as part of efforts to serve the community by nurturing a strong connection between the community and the Arabic language as a vital pillar of its cultural identity, rich with authentic values derived from the region’s culture and heritage. This edition reflects the UAE’s goals and vision to promote cultural diversity, enhance the role of the publishing sector in sustainable development, and accelerate efforts to complete the knowledge-based economy system.
“ADIBF’s projects and initiatives are in line with ALC’s objectives of enhancing the status and presence of the Arabic language and promoting the culture of reading, tolerance, and coexistence. This is showcased through the selection of the great physician Ibn Sina as Focus Personality; the most influential Arabic book ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ as the Book of the World, and the celebration of the unique Culture of the Caribbean Basin as Guest of Honour, emphasising the human dimension that Abu Dhabi seeks to achieve in all its cultural projects.”
The current edition of ADIBF embodies Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision, firmly positioning the emirate as a destination for Arab culture, a platform of global intellectual exchange, and the promotion of cultural dialogue. The fair’s activities cover a wide range of themes – including society, fantasy, sustainability, Arab sciences, artificial intelligence, and innovation – divided across five broad programmes.
Focus Personality
Renowned physician and philosopher Ibn Sina, commonly known in the West as Avicenna, has been chosen by ADIBF as ‘Focus Personality’ for the 34th edition. The session offers an opportunity to rediscover his remarkable medical legacy and explore how his groundbreaking ideas contributed in shaping modern medical concepts.
Book of the World
One of the greatest literary works in Arabic, One Thousand and One Nights, has been selected by ADIBF as the ‘Book of the World’. A compilation of chiefly Middle Eastern folktales, the book distinguishes itself by its narrative diversity and complex structure, which weaves together interrelated tales and numerous characters.
Varied Programmes
Following the theme ‘Inspire’, the cultural programme will see a plethora of events in the fields of poetry, literature, arts, translation, and cultural discussions that include debates, dialogues, workshops, and lectures led by renowned thinkers, writers, and creatives, offering audiences direct engagement with influential figures and a platform to discuss contemporary cultural issues.
This year, Poetry Majlis is being introduced for the first time, inspired by audience engagement with poetry in previous ALC activities. It includes poetry evenings focusing on Nabati and classical Arabic poetry, accompanied by music inspired by the poems and their rhythms, in addition to cross-cultural poetry evenings, where Arab poets interact with their international counterparts in an innovative transnational creative exchange.
As part of the cultural programme, the Book Signing Corner enables authors to meet with their fans and sign copies of their books. It also allows authors to connect with readers and build a strong relationship with their audience.
The fair also features other initiatives like ‘Under the Ghaf’s Shade’, an open-air literary gathering, where authors read excerpts from their works and interact with the audience.
Following huge success in the previous editions, Podcast from Abu Dhabi returns for its third season, featuring leading podcasters from the Arab region and around the world, who will present their unique content to engage audiences, discuss inspiring topics, and feed their passion for knowledge, all while providing space for new, younger voices to be heard.
ADIBF’s professional programme ‘Evolve’ is designed to cement Abu Dhabi’s role as a driver of sustainability in the global publishing industry, offering unparalleled networking opportunities with 1,400 international publishing houses. This programme explores the future of the publishing and creative industries, focusing on the impact of AI through workshops and keynote discussions. It also delves into new opportunities in the digital and creative industries with the inaugural edition of Digitising Creativity conference, integrating technology in arts and publishing, and providing participants with valuable insights into growth and innovation strategies. Another highlight is the business lounge that offers a platform for networking and collaboration among publishers.
To make things more lively and interesting, ADIBF has also made room for a variety of entertainment. The carefully curated creative arts programme ‘Create’, will showcase heritage-based culinary arts from around the world, along with photography exhibitions and workshops. Apart from these, screening of select Arabic short films and a dedicated music programme featuring live performances by popular artists will be held throughout the fair.
Children and youth remain a top priority on ALC’s agenda, as part of its strategy to promote passion for the Arabic language and empower young minds to express themselves in Arabic, strengthening their connection to their cultural identity, in line with the UAE’s vision of children as the future representatives of the country’s civilisation and guarantors of its leading cultural status on the international stage.
Under the theme ‘Learn’, the programme offers a unique educational experience for children and youth, combining education with entertainment, offering workshops and interactive activities that highlight the Arabic language in dedicated zones for children and youth.
Promoting Arabic through Innovative Programmes
ADIBF supports the promotion of Arabic language through innovative programmes that encourage reading and creativity, in line with the UAE’s strategy to build a society of avid readers capable of producing Arabic content that keeps pace with digital transformations. The strategy supports emerging literary talents and enriches the Arabic library with publications that reflect the modern era.
This year’s book fair is expecting a record visitor footfall exceeding 3,00,000, which reflects the success of ALC in promoting an interest in knowledge and culture, and restoring momentum to book fairs as social and cultural events.
