Kurdish Book Fair closes in Erbil after eight days, 100,000 titles sold

ERBIL, Iraq — A Kurdish Book Fair in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, closed on Thursday after eight days, drawing more than 78,000 visitors and selling roughly 100,000 Kurdish-language books, organizer Rebin Fattah said. More than 130 publishing houses, cultural centers and book-related institutions took part in the event, which was coordinated among the city of Erbil, the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Culture and Youth, and the organizing committee. Fattah said the attendance and sales figures reached a notable level and that organizers had decided to hold the fair annually going forward. He added that the decision is intended to support publishing houses and cultural centers across the Kurdistan Region. Organizers said future editions will be opened to additional institutions and publishers, with the aim of showcasing Kurdish literary and intellectual output. The fair opened on June 4 in Erbil with the participation of 150 local and specialized publishing houses. No further details on the next edition were immediately available.