Amman, Sept. 24 (Petra)-- Deputizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II, Minister of Culture Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh on Thursday inaugurated the 25th edition of the Amman International Book Fair at the Royal Cultural Center in Amman, held this year under the theme "Jordan: The Land and the People." In his opening remarks, Al-Rawashdeh highlighted Jordan’s historical and cultural significance, noting that the roots of the Nabataean script developed on Jordanian soil and later contributed to the emergence of modern Arabic script toward the end of the first century AD.
He also underscored Jordan’s importance as a historic land that was home to numerous civilizations, while welcoming the Syrian Arab Republic as the guest of honor at this year’s fair. Syria is represented by its Minister of Culture, Mohammed Yassin Saleh.
Al-Rawashdeh said the current edition comes amid a sweeping knowledge revolution and the rapid advancement of technology, developments that are compelling the publishing and print-book industries to seek innovative solutions and new mechanisms to adapt to digital transformation.
He pointed to the challenges facing the book and publishing industry in an era increasingly shaped by technology, digital platforms and social media, stressing the need to preserve the continuity and significance of the book as a longstanding cultural institution.
The minister said the Ministry of Culture is placing particular emphasis this year on the younger generation, especially children, by encouraging greater attention to the content made available to them and ensuring that it keeps pace with technological and intellectual changes.
He also praised the fair’s role in enriching cultural dialogue through its diverse programme of events.
For his part, Syrian Minister of Culture Mohammed Yassin Saleh expressed his country’s appreciation for participating in the fair as this year’s guest of honor, highlighting the strong fraternal ties and fruitful cooperation between Jordan and Syria.
Saleh described Jordanians as a people with a deep-rooted cultural character, saying that their cultural awareness begins even before children learn to read and write, shaped by the country’s location, rich social environment and diverse heritage.
Jabr Abu Faris, president of the Jordanian Publishers Association and director of the fair, described the 25th edition as a historic milestone in the country’s cultural journey, marking the silver jubilee of a knowledge-focused event that has completed a quarter-century of growth and development.
He expressed appreciation for the Royal patronage of the fair, describing it as a key source of support and an important umbrella that has strengthened the event’s intellectual standing and its Arab and regional presence.
Abu Faris said the fair has evolved into an intellectual forum and an established annual cultural event in Jordan and the wider Arab cultural scene. It has become an occasion anticipated by intellectuals, writers, researchers, students, children and readers, serving as a bridge for human and intellectual exchange while contributing to cultural and tourism activity.
This year’s fair features 400 publishing houses and cultural institutions from 22 countries, with new participation from publishers in Kuwait, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
A dedicated official pavilion has also been allocated to the Republic of Sudan, through its embassy, to showcase Sudanese intellectual and literary publications.
Abu Faris highlighted the institutional partnership behind the fair’s expanded cultural programme, which brings together the Ministry of Culture, the National Library Department, the Greater Amman Municipality and the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, alongside contributions from various cultural institutions and organizations.
The programme’s events are being held at several prominent venues, including the main fair hall, the Royal Cultural Center and the National Library Department.
Abu Faris also announced that the Jordanian Publishers Association, as the organizer of the fair, intends to submit a bid to nominate Amman as a "World Book Capital" under UNESCO’s World Book Capital programme.
The opening ceremony featured a poetry segment, with Syrian poet Anas Dghaim reciting a traditional Arabic poem titled "Al-Joudi," while Jordanian poet Ali Al-Faqouri presented three patriotic poems, including one welcoming the Syrian guests.
The opening ceremony was attended by Secretary-General of the Ministry of Culture Nidal Al-Ahmad, Director-General of the National Library Department Firas Dhabareh, and Chargé d’Affaires of the Syrian Embassy in Jordan Ihsan Rumman.
The Amman International Book Fair is organized by the Jordanian Publishers Association in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, the Greater Amman Municipality and the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation.
//Petra// MF
