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The Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF) has announced the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) as one of the stops in its four-nation tour for 2021, to promote its objective of forging new connections by touring the main book fairs all over the world.

BCBF organisers made this key announcement during the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA)’s participation at the recently concluded 73rd edition of Frankfurter Buchmesse, asserting that SIBF is a strategic gateway to new business opportunities as well as cultural exchange between Italy and Asia and North Africa.

The announcement follows Sharjah’s selection as the Guest of Honour for the 59th edition of BCBF, taking place from March 21 – 24, 2022. During a presentation organised by BCBF at the Frankfurter Buchmesse, Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) detailed the emirate’s Guest of Honour agenda for BCBF 2022, highlighting that the programme includes theatre and performance in the fair and in schools across the region, in addition to dialogue and discourse on the future development of children’s literature and education.

SBA also utilised the platform of the world’s leading event of its kind to promote the upcoming milestone 40th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) and drive forward the agenda of the three-day Publisher’s Conference – a key industry event that precedes SIBF and which brings professionals in the global publishing industry together.

The authority also raised awareness of other key events including the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) while also highlighting the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, a first of its kind free zone for businesses in the field of publishing. They also discussed expanding the participation of European publishers in the 41st and 42nd editions of SIBF.