Guest of Honour Italy will add to celebration of culture and history.

The UAE’s ongoing Year of Reading is going to become even more focused on literature and knowledge with the start of the 26th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) on Wednesday.

Running from April 27 to May 3 in its traditional venue — the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) — this year’s ADIBF is 10 per cent bigger than before, occupying 31,962 square metres.

With Italy being this year’s Guest of Honour, ADIBF will enjoy a rich mix of history, culture and education as 1,260 exhibitors and 600 authors from 63 countries also participate.

Free entry for all means that families and students will dot the venue from 9am to 10pm daily except for Friday when the fair opens at 4pm.

This year’s edition has something for everyone due to sections such as the Business Club Area, the Creativity Corner, the e-Zone which focuses on electronic publishing, the Black Box Cinema and the Illustrator’s Corner, among others.

“This year’s activities and events at the ADIBF reflect local and global cultural and intellectual concerns. Italy has been chosen as this year’s guest of honour due to its importance to the cultural and political landscape in the contemporary world, and the cultural bonds that brought us together centuries ago,” said Dr Ali Bin Tamim, member of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority’s (TCA-AD) board of directors earlier.

“We are working towards a clear vision for the advancement of local culture and the promotion of Arab authors, laying down a pivotal moment for the interaction of Arab culture with other cultures in order to spread tolerance and build bridges among different races under one roof,” he added.

Andalusian philosopher Ibn Rushd has been chosen as the event’s Personality of the Year due to his contribution to the region’s culture and mentality.

Opening the fair is a classical music concert by the Venice Quartet.

Guests can download the ADIBF smartphone application which will help them find book titles while making their visit more pleasant.

Facts at a glance

What: The 26th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

Where: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre

When: Every day from 9am to 10pm except Friday from 4-10pm

Why: To have a full-fledged literary and cultural experience