Impressive Success for the Rabat International Book Fair, While Mehdawi’s Case Stands Out
The Rabat International Book Fair has achieved notable success in its thirtieth edition, with over 403,000 visitors—up 26% compared to the previous year, as confirmed by the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication. This surge in attendance reflects the growing importance of the fair as a key cultural event in the Arab and international scenes.
This year’s edition featured 756 exhibitors from 51 countries, showcasing around 100,000 titles, providing visitors with a rich and diverse cultural experience. The fair was organized under royal patronage, in partnership with local and regional institutions, further cementing Rabat’s status as a regional and global cultural capital, ahead of its designation as the World Book Capital in 2026.
The participation of Sharjah as the guest of honor added an extra dimension to the event, demonstrating the fair’s openness to Arab and international experiences. Its activities, which brought together writers, thinkers, and publishers from various continents, showcased a vibrant cultural dynamic and established Rabat as an international platform for cultural and intellectual dialogue.
Amidst this remarkable success, the statements from YouTuber Hamid Mehdawi, who announced his boycott of the fair due to the participation of journalist Najiba Jalal at the Ministry of Justice’s stand, appeared discordant with the general sentiment. Mehdawi’s call was largely ignored by the cultural and media community, who believed the fair should be an open space for diversity and that attempts to politicize it or impose narrow boundaries resonate only with a small group of individuals driven by malicious agendas.
The fair’s success, evident in attendance and engagement, affirmed that Moroccans chose to champion culture and openness, while Mehdawi and others opted to retreat from the pulse of the street.
