Book Fairs
Opening of Amman International Book Fair 2026
Today, Thursday, September 24, 2026, the activities of the 25th edition – the Silver Jubilee – of the Amman International Book Fair kicked off in the Jordanian capital, Amman, under Royal Patronage, and will continue until October 3, 2026, at the Jordan International Exhibition Center – Mecca Mall.
The fair is organized by the Jordanian Publishers Union in cooperation with the Jordanian Ministry of Culture, the Greater Amman Municipality, and the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, in an edition that represents a prominent milestone in the fair's journey spanning twenty-five years.
Participants
The current edition witnesses the participation of about 400 Jordanian, Arab, and international publishing houses from 22 countries, either directly or through agencies, in addition to the participation of a number of publishing houses for the first time. This participation reflects the broad Arab and international presence of the fair, which has become, throughout its annual journey, a space for publishers, writers, cultural institutions, and readers to meet.
Guest of Honor
The Syrian Arab Republic is the Guest of Honor for the current edition, in celebration of its civilizational, cultural, and literary heritage, and what it represents as a historical presence in the Arab cultural scene.
The selection of Syria as Guest of Honor comes within the framework of the cultural and historical relations that bring together Jordan and Syria, and in the context of enhancing cultural exchange between the two countries. The Jordanian Ministry of Culture has affirmed that the selection of Syria is linked to its cultural status and its ancient history of creativity and heritage.
On the opening day, Jordanian Minister of Culture Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh and Syrian Minister of Culture Mohammed Yassin Saleh discussed strengthening cultural cooperation between the two countries at the Royal Cultural Center before the fair's opening ceremony, emphasizing the depth of cultural and historical relations between Jordan and Syria.
A Diverse Cultural Program
The cultural program for this edition includes about 60 events, with the participation of nearly 200 Jordanian and Arab creators and intellectuals. The events include intellectual, critical, and philosophical seminars, poetic and storytelling evenings, dialogue sessions, workshops, and documentary screenings.
The events address a number of contemporary cultural and intellectual issues, alongside topics related to the Jordanian narrative, culture in the age of social media, artificial intelligence, and the future of children's literature.
Amman... A Renewed Appointment with the Arab Book
The Amman International Book Fair reaching its 25th edition represents a prominent milestone in its journey, which has extended over a quarter of a century and contributed to establishing the fair as an annual appointment for publishers, writers, intellectuals, and readers. The 2026 edition comes in a context witnessing rapid transformations in the publishing and reading industry, including digital development, artificial intelligence, and changing patterns of book circulation.
This edition provides a space for professional and cultural encounters between publishers, authors, and cultural institutions, and for enhancing Arab and international communication in the field of the book and publishing industry.
We wish the Amman International Book Fair great success in its 25th edition.