Rabat's Curtain Rises on the 29th International Book and Publishing Fair 'SIEL 2024'

Experience cultural diversity at SIEL 2024, Rabat's International Book Fair featuring UNESCO as honored guest. Literary seminars, global exchanges await!

on May 10, 2024

Rabat's Curtain Rises on the 29th International Book and Publishing Fair 'SIEL 2024' | Frontlist

SIEL is slated to take place in Rabat from May 9 to May 19, with a program packed with seminars and workshops, as well as exhibitors from 48 different nations.

The 29th edition of the International Book and Publishing Fair (SIEL-2024), a major cultural and literary event in Morocco, began today in Rabat.

Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch presided over the inauguration ceremony, which was attended by a large number of political, diplomatic, media, and cultural figures, including Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication.

In a press statement, Bensaid stressed that the SIEL is not just a celebration of books and reading, but also an opportunity for all residents to broaden their cultural horizons.

He emphasized the fair's importance in the cultural and publishing industries, as well as its economic and social influence, pointing out that participants generate large book sales and gain awareness with each edition.

Bensaid also commended his department's ongoing support for reading and literature, noting that various regional, national, and international cultural fairs are held around the kingdom.

UNESCO as the Honored Guest.

Eric Falt, Director of the UNESCO Regional Bureau for the Maghreb, expressed his satisfaction at being welcomed as a distinguished guest to this year's SIEL. He noted UNESCO's activities as well as the organization's ties to Morocco.

Falt added that visitors will have the opportunity to learn about UNESCO's numerous activities and initiatives in science, communication, and information, as well as UNESCO World Heritage sites and biosphere reserves.

He also stated that the UNESCO area would feature around 20 conferences over the ten-day show, with an emphasis on two main topics: artificial intelligence and youth.

This edition of the SIEL, organized by the Ministry of Youth and scheduled to run until May 19, Culture, and Communication, in collaboration with the Wilaya of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, the region of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, and the City of Rabat, features 743 exhibitors from 48 countries, with UNESCO as the honored guest.

The SIEL's cultural program, which includes a variety of programs including Moroccan and international authors, philosophers, and producers, reinforces Morocco's reputation for cultural encounters, conversation, and exchanges.

During the fair, there will be 241 cultural activities, including conferences on issues such as Africa's diversity, profiles and images, gendered writing, media and technology, with participation from Moroccan and international writers, philosophers, and poets.