Muscat International Book Fair 2025 draws nearly 650,000 visitors, celebrates cultural vibrancy

Muscat : The event, held under the patronage of His Excellency Mohammed bin Saeed Al Balushi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information, brought together a wide spectrum of local and international cultural institutions, writers, and publishers.
A total of 674 publishing houses from 35 countries participated (640 directly and 34 through agencies), displaying over 681,000 titles, including more than 52,000 recent publications and 27,464 Omani books. The event marked a significant leap from last year’s edition, which saw 394,172 visitors and 847 participating publishers.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Ahmed bin Saud Al Rawahy, Director of the Muscat International Book Fair, praised the fair’s growing impact on promoting reading culture, stimulating the publishing industry, and showcasing Oman’s cultural achievements.
Held under the theme ‘Cultural Diversity: The Enrichment of Civilisations’, the 2025 edition featured 211 cultural events, including forums on literature, thought, and art. More than 35,000 books were displayed across thematic areas, with over 250 interactive activities in the children’s corner.
This year’s Guest of Honour was North Al Sharqiyah Governorate, which presented a rich programme highlighting its cultural, artistic, and intellectual heritage. In addition, the Saudi Cultural Days brought a distinguished group of Saudi authors and creatives to the exhibition, strengthening cultural ties between Oman and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
During the ceremony, the winners of the inaugural season of the National Reading Championship, targeting school students across Oman, were announced. The year-long competition saw students read a total of 500 books and was a national cultural project implemented by the Ministry of Education and overseen by the exhibition’s Community Initiatives Committee.
The winners of the Cultural Community Initiatives Award for Omani Women’s Associations were also recognised for their outstanding cultural projects. The Omani Women’s Association in Al Hamra secured first place for their ‘My Village, My Responsibility’ initiative, focused on eradicating illiteracy and promoting lifelong learning in remote areas. The Bidiya Omani Women’s Association won second place for ‘Tales from the Good Old Days’, a project documenting local heritage. The Omani Women’s Association in Rustaq claimed third place for their ‘Your Book is Your Friend’ initiative, aimed at cultivating a love of reading and writing among children.

The closing ceremony recognised key cultural contributors, including writer Abdullah Habib was honoured as the exhibition’s cultural personality, Dar Al Kitab Public Library as the distinguished Omani private library, and Al Dhamari Publishing and Distribution House and Library as the leading Omani library and publishing house.

The Director of the Fair announced that Al Wusta Governorate will be the Guest of Honour at the 30th Muscat International Book Fair in 2026, continuing the tradition of spotlighting Omani regions and their rich cultural legacies.