Today, it stands as the largest cultural event in Kuwait, drawing parallels to regional giants like Sharjah or Cairo but with a distinctly Gulf-centric emphasis on bilingual (Arabic-English) offerings and youth engagement.

Now in its 48th edition, the fair – launched on November 19, 2025, at the Kuwait International Fairground in Mishref – serves as a nexus for rights deals, author networking, and market scouting.

Capital of Culture… Homeland of Books

Under the evocative slogan “Capital of Culture… Homeland of Books,” this year’s event aligns seamlessly with Kuwait’s designation as the 2025 Arab Capital of Culture and Media, amplifying its ambition to be seen as a beacon for intellectual exchange in the Gulf.

Organised annually by the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters since its inaugural edition on November 1, 1975, the KIBF has evolved from a modest gathering of Kuwaiti and Arab governmental institutions and publishers into a regional powerhouse.

Early incarnations focussed on fostering local Arabic literature amid post-oil-boom cultural aspirations, but by the 1980s, international participation began to swell, reflecting Kuwait’s strategic position as a cultural crossroads.

Kuwait’s Largest Cultural Event

Today, it stands as the largest cultural event in Kuwait, drawing parallels to regional giants like Sharjah or Cairo but with a distinctly Gulf-centric emphasis on bilingual (Arabic-English) offerings and youth engagement.

For publishers, the fair’s scale is impressive. The 2025 edition features 611 publishing houses and exhibitors from 33 countries, spanning 433 pavilions across three halls: Hall 5 for Arab houses, Hall 6 for Kuwaiti, Gulf, and international players (including English-language heavyweights like Oxford University Press, Hachette, and Macmillan), and Hall 7 for governmental and nonprofit entities.

This marks an upscaling from the 47th fair in 2024, which hosted 544 houses from 31 countries. This year the event showcasing over 287,000 titles – including 35,066 new releases.

Historically, attendance has hovered around 360,000–380,000 annually, with 2023 drawing 360,000 despite regional headwinds. Early reports from 2025 already note bustling crowds on opening day.

Over 72% of Kuwait’s population is under 30, and the fair capitalizes on this demographic with 39 children’s activities.

What elevates the KIBF for professionals? Its robust programming: 120 cultural activities, including 11 workshops, seminars on publishing innovations, poetry readings, and author meet-and-greets. The Arab Publishers Professional Program engages 84 houses in capacity-building sessions on digital rights and market expansion.

Oman is Guest of Honour this year, at an event that inaugurates the Kuwait International Book Fair Award for Unpublished Works, signalling fresh opportunities for scouting talent.

Days before the Kuwait event, the Sharjah International Book Fair concluded with 1.4 million visitors.

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This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.