Ambassador to India says Qatar uses New Delhi Book Fair to deepen cultural exchange

New Delhi: HE the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of India has hailed Doha s engagement as guest of honour at this year s New Delhi W...

New Delhi: HE the Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Republic of India has hailed Doha's engagement as guest of honour at this year's New Delhi World Book Fair as a move aimed at strengthening cultural dialogue and knowledge exchange between the Arab world and India.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday ahead of the fair's opening, HE Mohammed bin Hassan Al Jaber said the participation, led by Qatar's Ministry of Culture, highlights the importance of deepening intellectual and cultural cooperation between two ancient civilisations with long traditions of scholarship and learning.

The book fair will run from January 10 to 18 and is expected to attract publishers and cultural institutions from more than 35 countries.

HE Al Jaber said Qatar's involvement reflects its commitment to building bridges between cultures, promoting openness and expanding cooperation in publishing, translation and knowledge production. He added that such engagement helps foster mutual understanding and reinforces the role of culture and reading in connecting societies. The press conference was attended by a delegation from Qatar's Ministry of Culture including Jassim Ahmed Al Buainain, director of the Doha International Book Fair. The delegation outlined the main features of the exhibition, its accompanying cultural and intellectual programs, and the role of international participation in supporting the publishing industry and cultural exchange. Al Buainain said Qatar's selection as guest of honour underlines its desire to maintain a strong presence at major international cultural events. He noted that Qatar's program will include participation in panel discussions, translation and publishing rights conferences, and showcases of Qatari publishing houses. He also highlighted the presentation of books translated into Hindi, as well as performances by Qatari folk groups and a broader cultural program designed to reflect the diversity and richness of Qatar's cultural scene. For his part, Director of India's National Book Trust, Yuvraj Malik, has embraced Qatar's engagement as a demonstration of the depth of cultural relations between the two countries and a contributor to strengthening dialogue between India and the Arab world. He said this year's fair features more than 1,000 publishers and over 3,000 exhibition stands, alongside more than 600 cultural and intellectual events, including seminars, panel discussions and programs for children and young people.