Despite concerns that upheavals in the Arab world would interfere with Abu Dhabi’s International Book Fair, the fair so far has been successful and relatively problem-free. In fact, more books and more publishers from Egypt are participating in the fair than ever before. This is a big contrast from the Cairo Book Fair, which was cancelled earlier this year.
Demands for free speech rights were at the heart of many political protests across the Arab world, and organizers believe this is why book fairs are experiencing a surge of optimism and participation in spite of continued instability in the region.
