The Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 2025 dates in the UAE are from 5 to 16 November 2025 at the Expo Centre Sharjah in the UAE, and is expected to be one of the most awaited literary events of the year. Over the last 40 years, SIBF has evolved from a regional book fair to a worldwide literary festival that now attracts publishers, authors, and book lovers from everywhere. More than just a buying and selling place for books, it is a festival of knowledge, culture, and storytelling that gives a real-life experience to readers of all ages to engage with ideas, writers, and worldwide literary trends. SIBF 2025, with its theme “Between You and a Book,” aims at the intimate connection of readers with books and invites everyone to investigate the worlds, ideas, and feelings that books can open.
Schedule & Key Highlights
Covering twelve days, the fair has a heaving timetable of events which are planned not only for the readers and writers but also for the professionals of the industry. The fair hosts more than 1200 events, which include panel discussions, workshops, lectures, and performances. These activities cover different genres, creative works, and cultural themes and thus give a variety of options to the visitors. Writers and authors, by participating in workshops, can get practical writing, editing, and publishing techniques and also receive encouragement for their creative work and experimentation. Similarly, publishing professionals can get information on the latest trends in publishing, rights management, and digital innovations in the literary world by attending these sessions.
Exhibitors & Publishers
It is indeed one of the main features of the Sharjah Book Expo 2025 to be of such a grand scale and diverse participants. Over 2,350 publishers and exhibitors from 118 countries will be there offering an extensive array of works in fiction, non-fiction, and academic texts, besides children’s books and a lot more. There are more than 1,200 Arab publishing houses and over 1,100 international publishers, which clearly point towards the event being a global literary hub and a meeting point of the publishing world. The visitors are free to explore the new releases, the work that has been translated, as well as the rare editions, and at the same time, they can also talk with publishers and authors to get an increased understanding of the processes of creation and publishing.
Cultural Highlights & Guest of Honour
SIBF has been recognized for its energetic cultural programming, and 2025 is a continuation of the same tradition. 10 countries (Iceland, Jamaica, Nigeria, Mali, Chad, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea, Senegal, and Vietnam) are participating for the first time, making the event grander this year. The Guest of Honour is Greece, which will display more than 600 titles from 58 Greek publishers in a specially designed area. The programme will include a diverse and competitive mix of literary, artistic, and musical events with theme-related authors, illustrators, and academics from Greece participating in talks, workshops, and performances. In addition to Greece, SIBF 2025 is organizing over 300 events with the participation of literature’s international personalities, translators, and artists, thereby offering the attendees the possibility of getting to know the intersection of literature, culture, and creativity.
Besides, these interactions will take place through innovative platforms like the ‘Pop-Up Academy’, podcasts, and cooking sessions that will attract more visitors. These features signify the commitment of the fair to mix literature with other cultural experiences, thus turning it into more than just a book exhibition. With all these grand preparations, one can only assume the grandeur of the Sharjah Book Fair 2026 will be.
Why you should attend?
For readers, SIBF 2025 means the possibility of discoveries, getting to know new authors, trying a great number of genres, and being part of talks and workshops that help deepen their love for reading. The fair is also a source of opportunities for new writers to gain knowledge from experienced authors and industry specialists. As a result, industry professionals can attend networking events, meet for rights exchanges, and gather information about future trends in global publishing with the Sharjah International Book Fair exhibitor list. Kids and their families will find specially designed children’s areas, workshops, and interactive storytelling sessions that will make their visit enjoyable and unforgettable.
Final Thoughts
The Sharjah International Book Fair 2025 serves as a reminder of how Sharjah is turning into a global centre of literature, culture, and knowledge. By mixing extensive collections of books with an engaging cultural program and a large international presence, it becomes a once-in-a-lifetime experience for book lovers, writers, and industry professionals alike. With the theme “Between You and a Book”, SIBF underlines the point that books are not only a means of transport to new worlds but also sources of ideas, imagination, and relationships, and a single visit can ignite inspiration, creativity, and lifelong learning. Now that you have the Sharjah International Book Fair 2025 dates and tickets, go on a literature trip.
