"Books of all genres and languages are for sale at the 24th annual Sana’a International Book Fair, which began on Monday. The fair, organized by the General Authority for Books, is a chance to see books of all types under one roof, said Faris al-Saqqaf, head of the GAB.“'It is a re-consideration of the book as we know it.' The fair also includes a number of cultural events such as concerts, lectures, and books signings. [...]
More than 270 local and foreign publishing houses and 14 official publishers from various Arab countries will display over 500,000 titles during the book fair. The fair runs until November 2. As was the case last year, the books are being sold at the same price as bookshops. [...]
“Most of the people come to the fair to ask for books and publishers so they now where to find them later on. Many people, especially students, do not have that much money to buy the books seen in these publishing houses,” he said. [...]
“The fair is important in the consolidation of Yemeni culture since the book is still the basic resource for culture. Even with the evolution of technology and the information revolution, the book remains very important. The government is keen to develop such fairs annually so that they become distinct book fairs. Yemeni culture should be consolidated for the next generation, which must learn to read.” The Prime Minister praised the efforts made by the Ministry of Culture and the General Authority of Books, which organized the fair and expressed satisfaction with the management and diversity of books displayed. [...]"
Source: Yemen Observer, October 27, 2007
