(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Joelyn Baluyut |
The Peninsula
The 31st Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) which concludes today has generated positive reactions among the public.
Jillian Canivel, a Filipino expatriate and first-timer to visit the fair told The Peninsula that it's a wonderful opportunity to see thousands of books in a single exhibition.
“It is astoundingly beautiful, especially this is my first time coming to the book fair. I find it amusing because it not only showcases books but also artworks, you can see paintings and interactive games that you can play in several booths,” she explained.
Bookworms Krisha Garcia and Nins Reyes said entering into the hall is“enchanting” and a“Disneyland for book lovers.”
“DECC was filled with the smell of books. I'm glad they had a good selection of English books, although they could've had more stores in English, hoping that next year there will be more books offered in this language. I also wish most of the stalls used card payment rather than cash as it was a hassle to go out and get again, although there are a lot of mobile ATMs outside. I loved the exhibition at the centre with the paintings. Overall, the book fair has always been something that I look forward to,” Garcia said.
She shared the same sentiment with Indian and Pakistani expatriates Surya Vijakumar and Annie where they hoped that the next fair will offer more English books and pavilions. They also expressed that payment via card should likewise be available as some of the stalls they visited don't offer this service.
Reyes, meanwhile, said:“Books of different genre are everywhere! It's very exciting in all stalls and unique in their own concept. Overall it's quite a ride! It just amazed me how books have been a friend to a lot of people as I saw a good number of book lovers who visited the event. It's like a reunion with my long lost brothers and sisters where in our connection is found between the pages of those books. Looking forward to next year's Doha's International Book Fair!”
The 31st DIBF carried this year's theme“Knowledge is Light” which reflects on the Islamic teaching emphasising learning all the way from the beginning of creation as the Almighty God commanding Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) to read and also making people into tribes and communities so that they may interact and learn from one another.
The 10-day book fair was held at Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in West Bay and witnessed a good turnout of visitors. 37 countries and 430 publishing houses participated in this year's exhibit.
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