Embassy of Japan booth at the DIBF.
Doha, Qatar: Local press houses and embassies shine at the ongoing 33rd Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) at Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre, showcasing their country’s culture, tradition, arts, scientific studies, among others through various publications.
Among the participants, the Katara Publishing House, a cultural project established by the Cultural Village Foundation, Katara stands out. Offering a wide array of books in both English and Arabic, the booth reflects the diversity and cultural richness of the Gulf region.
A highlight at the Katara Publishing House is the children’s book “Curious Desert Dwellers” authored by Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) Violist Merve Kenet Bulun. The book, now in its second edition, aims to introduce young readers to classical music and its instruments. Bulun, also the Founder and Artistic Director of CineMoon Ensemble, a member of QPO told The Peninsula that she was inspired to create educational materials for classical music after recognising a lack of such resources for children and young adults.
The Curious Desert Dwellers by Merve Kenet Bulun, available at the Katara Publishing House at the ongoing DIBF.
She said the book is “a story directly told from the desert, from a place which is not very well-known geographical part of the world. Story tellers in the book are the desert animals who are very curious for the knowledge. They want to learn and discover things in their environment.”
Other notable releases at the Katara Publishing House include “Kahraman” by Hamad Al Suliti, which explores minerals, their sources, shapes, forms, and uses, Katara’s 12-volume Cultural Encyclopedia, Media in Qatar, Pearl Diving in Qatar, Fine Art in the country of Qatar, Qatar’s traditional ships, to name some.
In addition to local press houses, several embassies have also showcased their cultural diversity at the 10-day book fair, which concludes on Saturday, May 18. Embassies from Indonesia, Korea, Japan, USA, Italy, among others, are participating in the event.
The Japanese Embassy, for instance, offers various activities for visitors, including Japanese calligraphy and origami. Skilled calligraphers are available to beautifully inscribe visitors’ names in Japanese. Similarly, at the Korea booth, alongside the displayed books, visitors can explore traditional Korean clothing called Hanbok and traditional instruments.
Ambassador of Indonesia to Qatar, H E Ridwan Hassan, meanwhile stressed the importance of the event: “The fair has become our priority as we believe that books play an important role in building understanding and tolerance in society with different backgrounds.”
The book fair is open daily from 9am to 10pm, except on Fridays, when it opens from 3pm to 10pm. Entry to the event is free of charge.
