After a 10-year hiatus during which all publishing houses, libraries, and newspaper kiosks closed, and all cultural activities and events were suspended under the terrorist rule of ISIS, the first book fair in Raqqa, Syria, has been opened by the cultural authority of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), with the participation of 30 Syrian, Arabic, and Kurdish publishers, displaying 20,000 books and over 4,000 titles.
“Dozens of publishing houses from neighboring countries including Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, as well as European countries such as Italy, are partaking in the event. AANES has decided to revive culture in the city after years on ban, by motivating books and reading,” Ronahi Hassan, vice president of AANES’ cultural association, said in a phone call with Asharq Al-Awsat.
