The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is an annual book fair held in Abu Dhabi. It provides a platform where publishers, booksellers, agents, cultural organisations and press can meet, exchange ideas and identify business opportunities. Since 2007 it has been organised by KITAB, a joint venture between the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and the Frankfurt Book Fair.
The ADIBF forms part of KITAB’s strategy to transform Abu Dhabi into a major centre in the publishing world. The 2009 fair hosted 637 publishing houses from 52 countries with a record number of visitors, with 200,000 attending over the six days. 2010: 840 exhibitors from 63 countries.
The ADIBF brings together the Arab and International publishing communities. The fair provides access to publishers in the entire MENA region, and as such is an important event in the negotiation and sale of book rights and licensing. In 2009/10 KITAB and ADACH launched the Spotlight on Rights Programme, which awards a subsidy of $1000 towards costs to encourage the negotiation of licenses to and from the Arabic language. The fair also hosts events as part of its ongoing Cultural (KITAB Sofa) and Professional Programme.
