Union of Jordanian Publishers
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities in the Republic of Iraq is participating in the Amman International Book Fair 2023. The fair is currently on its fifth consecutive day at the Amman Motor Show Hall – Airport Road. This is the first time the Ministry has had a pavilion at the event.
The Undersecretary of the Iraqi Ministry of Culture and Antiquities, Qasim Al-Sudani, stated in a press release today that Iraq, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, is committed to strengthening bilateral relations with Jordan, a brotherly nation. This commitment extends to all aspects, including culture. The Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities, Dr. Ahmed Fakkak Al-Badrani, shares the same sentiment.
He added that this interest was demonstrated by the participation of a high-level official delegation in the opening ceremony of the Amman International Book Fair and their involvement in the activities of this significant fair. The delegation was led by Undersecretary Qasim Al-Sudani and included the Director General of Kurdish Culture, Awat Hassan Amin.
Al-Sudani pointed out that the Iraqi pavilion includes a number of publications, with 1,000 titles and 4,000 books among them. He added that this is the first official participation of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities in the Amman International Book Fair, as there were previous participations by Iraqi publishing houses that are concerned with bookmakers and publishing, and that there is a demand for Iraqi books.
He explained that the books in the Iraqi pavilion were distributed among various Iraqi institutions and publishing houses affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, such as Dar al-Ma’moon and its publishing division. Dar al-Ma’moon is one of the oldest publishing houses in Iraq. Additionally, the Department of Cultural Affairs, which is responsible for publishing and the book industry, is another important publishing house in Iraq with a rich history. Both houses have a wide range of publications.
Al-Sudani pointed out that the Ministry made efforts to diversify its participation. It directed the Children’s Culture House to participate in the significant fair by showcasing children’s publications issued by the house. The Ministry also included the Kurdish Cultural Affairs House in its diversity, which contributed 285 titles of publications.
He expressed his hope that the Amman International Book Fair, organized by the Union of Jordanian Publishers, will achieve success this year. He also hopes that the fair will continue to grow and improve with each passing year. Additionally, he expressed his desire for active and positive participation from the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, to achieve their goals.
Al-Sudani expressed the Iraqi government’s interest in culture and literature, particularly due to the recent onslaught of brutal attacks and degrading content in Iraq. The country is in need of a transcultural approach that can help rebuild humanity in light of the new Iraqi reality. Al-Sudani also emphasized the importance of cultural affairs in terms of promoting ideas and preserving heritage and education at the highest level of the Iraqi Government.
It is noteworthy that the activities of the Amman International Book Fair will continue until next Saturday.