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The Arab Middle East is in the spotlight as part of this year's London Book Fair. A series of events and seminars have been lined up as part of the Fair's Arab World Market Focus 2008 programme. The Market Focus initiative by the Fair is targeted at boosting trade with one particular region, with the ultimate aim of helping to build long-term business partnerships and trade between the international publishing community and the Market Focus region -- this year the 20 plus countries that are members of the Arab League.
 The organisers said it is the largest Market Focus programme ever undertaken by The London Book Fair and has been three years in the making. It was devised with the British Council and is the result of collaborative efforts.
The selection of the Arab World as Market Focus is considered timely, with statistics showing strong trade growth in the area. In 2006 UK exports alone to the Middle East and North Africa region increased by 13.3 per cent to total GBP 91 million, the largest increase from any region of the world, according to the UK Publishing Industry Statistics Yearbook, quoted by the Press Association news agency. Combined with a market of some 300 million potential readers, the Arab world represents a vast trading bloc full of potential to the international community. The organisers believe the London Book Fair will provide a forum to build cultural and commercial bridges with the region, and will showcase the richness and diversity of Arab literature.
The opening event on Monday, 14 April, will feature Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, who will give the keynote speech at the Chairman’s Breakfast on 'Arabic Partnerships: Opportunities and Complexities.'
Arab exhibitors at this year's Fair include
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Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (Translation scheme, UAE)
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Cambridge-Obeikan (Publisher, Saudi Arabia)
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Ministry of Information, Culture & National Heritage (Bahrain)
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Dar Al Saqi Lebanon (Publisher)
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Nahdet Misr Publishing & Printing (Egypt)
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Basemah Al-Failakawi (Kuwait)
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Ministry of Heritage and Culture, Oman
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National Council for Culture Arts and Heritage - Doha
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Ministry of Culture Youth & Development (UAE)
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Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage
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Ministry of Culture, Lebanon
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Jordanian Publishers Association
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General Egyptian Book Organisation
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The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
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Dar Al Shorouk (Publisher, Egypt)
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Motivate Publishing (UAE)
Among highlights of other events --
Alaa Al Aswany, the bestselling Egyptian author of the novel, The Yacoubian Building, now also a film of the same title, will be Author of the Day on Tuesday 15 April. Forty Arab authors will be attending the Fair and taking part in a seminar and other events. Participants include Rajaa Alsanea, Saudi author of The Girls of Riyadh, Jordanian writer Elias Farkouh and Khaled Al Khamissi, author of Taxi Stories.
Literary Café interviews will take place with Mourid Barghouti, the Palestinian poet; Bahaa Taher, the winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction; and Khaled Al Khamissi.
A series of events aimed at facilitating trade between international and Arab publishers will take place
A collection of Qurans and Arabic manuscripts from the Khalili Collection will be on display.
The launch of the first ever Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature will be announced on 15 April.
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