At the 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, held from April 26 to May 5, 2025, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Serbia is represented by the publishing houses No Rules, Dereta, Čigoja štampa, Prometej, Plato, Knjiga komerc, and Portalibri. This is one of the most significant global book fairs and cultural platforms, bringing together publishers, authors, translators, artists, and professionals from creative industries worldwide, with the aim of promoting reading, sharing knowledge, and fostering intercultural dialogue.
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair was founded in 1981 under the name “The Islamic Book Fair,” in line with the vision of the Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Over the decades, the fair has grown into a leading regional and global publishing industry event, expanding its influence through traditional, digital, and multimedia publishing formats. The fair is organized by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, operating under the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.
The fair serves as a key hub for collaboration between publishers and the creative sector, with a strong focus on the future of publishing and the development of an inclusive culture that embraces readable, visual, audio, and interactive media. In this context, the participation of Serbian publishers marks an important step toward enhancing the visibility of Serbian literature and culture in the Middle East and the wider global scene. The Serbian publishers’ stand was also visited by representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in the UAE, affirming institutional support for our cultural presentation and international cooperation in the publishing sector.
As part of the fair, the 19th Sheikh Zayed Book Award ceremony—one of the most prestigious literary awards in the Arab world—was held. In the presence of high-ranking Emirati officials, renowned Japanese author Haruki Murakami was among the honorees, having been named Cultural Personality of the Year.