Sulaymaniyah Kurdish Book Fair extended after strong visitor turnout

SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq — The Kurdish Book Fair in Sulaymaniyah has been extended by three days in response to high visitor interest, the organizers announced on Sunday. Fair director Rewuz Hama Salih told a press conference that more than 30,000 books had been sold and ten panel discussions had been held during the first ten days of the event. Held under the slogan "Kurdish Book, Home of Our Language and Identity" at Family Mall, the fair has drawn more than 45 publishers and printing houses from the Kurdistan Region and Iran. Salih said turnout exceeded expectations and reflected strong demand for Kurdish-language books, with hundreds of attendees taking part in discussions on different aspects of Kurdish issues. The fair will now run through August 25 and remain open until 11 p.m. Organizers said they plan to hold the event annually and to expand participation to include publishers from other parts of Kurdistan.