Tunisia: President Kais Saied Inaugurates 40th Edition of Tunis International Book Fair

On Thursday, April 24, 2026, President Kais Saied officially opened the 40th edition of the Tunis International Book Fair at the Kram Exhibition Centre in Tunisia. The fair, running from April 23 to May 3, 2026, marks four decades of the country’s premier literary and cultural event.

This year’s edition features Indonesia as the Guest of Honour, highlighting the Southeast Asian nation’s growing influence in global publishing. The fair brings together 37 countries, 394 exhibitors, and 148,000 titles on display, offering a diverse platform for international exchange.

The event’s slogan, “Tunisia, a homeland of books,” underscores the nation’s commitment to fostering a culture of reading and intellectual dialogue. Organized under the auspices of President Kais Saied, the fair includes eight awards, ten conferences, and fifteen panel discussions.

A major highlight of this year’s program is an international forum on artificial intelligence across the publishing chain, addressing one of the most pressing transformations in the global book industry. The fair commemorates the 900th anniversary of Ibn Rushd (Averroes), the Cordovan philosopher whose function bridged Islamic and European intellectual traditions, reinforcing the event’s dedication to open inquiry and scholarly exchange.

As the fair continues through early May, it serves as a vital hub for publishers, authors, translators, and readers from across Africa, the Arab world, Europe, and Asia, reinforcing Tunisia’s role as a dynamic center for cultural and intellectual engagement in the Mediterranean and beyond.