The 29th edition of the International Publishing and Book Fair (SIEL 2024) was kicked off on Thursday in Rabat by the head of government, Aziz Akhannouch. The opening ceremony was marked by the presence of the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, as well as several public figures.
In a press statement, Minister Bensaid indicated that more than a celebration of books and reading, SIEL is an opportunity for all citizens to discover new cultural horizons. “The International Publishing and Book Fair plays an essential role in the cultural and publishing industry, but also in the economic and societal sphere,” he said.
Highlighting his department’s support for reading and books, Bensaid recalled that several other regional, national and international cultural fairs are held across the different cities of Morocco.
For his part, the director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Maghreb, Eric Falt, welcomed the choice of the UN organization as guest of honor for this edition, noting that it is here of “recognition” for the work of this institution and for the links which unite it with Morocco.
“Visitors will have the opportunity to discover in the agora of our space the different activities and actions that we carry out in the field of science, communication and information, the UNESCO heritage sites, as well as than biosphere reserves,” he said.
Falt also announced that the UNESCO space will host more than 20 conferences during these ten days of SIEL, explaining in this sense that the emphasis will be placed on two very important subjects, namely artificial intelligence and youth. .
Organized until May 19 by the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication in partnership with the Wilaya of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region, the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region and the Municipality of Rabat, this edition sees the participation of 743 exhibitors from 48 countries, with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as guest of honor.
Like previous editions, the SIEL cultural program, which offers several activities bringing together Moroccan and foreign authors, thinkers and creators, confirms Morocco’s vocation as a country of meetings, dialogue and cultural exchanges.
In all, 241 cultural activities will punctuate the days of SIEL, through a rich and diverse program including conferences covering themes such as multiple Africa, profiles and images, writing of the feminine and masculine genre, as well as the media and technology, with the participation of a range of Moroccan and foreign writers, intellectuals and poets.
