The latest

The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair has begun unveiling its 2026 programme, with Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote and eighth-century Arab scholar Al Khalil ibn Ahmad Al Farahidi leading six days of literary and cultural events. The fair is scheduled for September 13-18 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, where its 35th edition will also feature the Balkans as Guest of Honour, sessions on Arabic music and cultural history, and appearances by award-winning Arab authors.

Details

• Al Farahidi focus: Named the fair’s Focus Personality, the pioneering linguist will be examined through discussions of Arabic lexicography and prosody. A September 14 session considers how he organised Arabic sounds in his dictionary, while a September 16 event explores the metrical system he developed for classical Arabic poetry.
• Cervantes programme: Don Quixote, designated Book of the World, will be considered as a foundational work of the modern novel. Sessions on September 14 and 16 will address its influence on fiction and its reception through Arabic translation and criticism. Other events trace its characters across theatre, cinema and animation.
• Regional culture: The Balkans programme will explore the literary and cultural history of a region encompassing countries including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Cairo’s Cafe Riche, a meeting place for generations of Arab writers and artists, is the subject of a September 16 discussion.
• Music and technology: A September 14 event will examine poetry associated with Umm Kulthum, Mohammed Abdel Wahab and Fairuz, and its role in shaping prominent Arabic songs. Abdel Halim Hafez’s career will be discussed on September 16, the same day a session considers authors’ experiences using ChatGPT to think, plan and draft.
• Authors and awards: Algerian novelist Said Khatibi, identified in the programme as the 2026 International Prize for Arabic Fiction winner, will appear on September 18 to discuss his work and its treatment of Algeria’s civil war. Sheikh Zayed Book Award recipients Ashraf Elashmawy and Mustapha Rajouane are also due to participate.
• Industry gathering: Beyond the free public programme, available through online registration, the fair will convene publishers, translators, rights buyers and other professionals. Organisers describe it as a forum for discussing industry trends and challenges facing the regional publishing market.

Background

The event was moved from its original April 11-20 schedule after the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre consulted publishers, international partners and UAE authorities about travel, overseas participation and publishing logistics. The postponement also delayed the 20th Sheikh Zayed Book Award ceremony.

What’s next

The fair opens on September 13 with an event marking its 35-year development as a publishing platform. More speakers and programme details are due before opening, while organisers have yet to announce the date of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award ceremony during the fair.