The IAF attended the Sharjah International Book Fair which featured a range of events and an opening ceremony highlighting the growth of the Book Fair to become one of the largest in the world, and the largest in the Arab world, and the contribution of the literary sector in the region. Alongside the Book Fair the IAF had the opportunity to visit the House of Wisdom in Sharjah and see some of the advanced approaches taken to make a modern library.
Alongside the Book Fair, IAF attended a meeting of UNESCO World Book Capital Network Expert Preliminary meeting which brought together experts from World Book Capitals past and present. At this meeting information was shared on the positive cultural policy impact of WBC programmes in each country, from ongoing projects to lasting booms in reading culture, bookshops and literacy. With this in mind the group will continue to look at how the most can be made of their experience in current and future World Book Capitals.