Moroccan Literature Makes a Strong Presence at the Beijing International Book Fair
Oussar Ahmed
Morocco marked its distinguished presence at the 31st edition of the Beijing International Book Fair, held in the Chinese capital from June 18 to 22, with the participation of 1,700 publishers and cultural institutions from 80 countries.
The Moroccan delegation included “Bab Al-Hikma” publications and “Action” Foundation, within the official pavilion of the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, coordinated with the Moroccan Embassy in China. The Moroccan delegation featured Ambassador Mohamed Al-Ansari, former minister Mohamed Nabil Benabdallah, cultural attaché Moulay Al-Zine Al-Moussaoui, along with Moroccan publishers.
The Moroccan stand attracted a number of Chinese ministers, Arab ambassadors, intellectuals, and readers, particularly Chinese students specializing in Arabic. Visitors at the Moroccan pavilion had the opportunity to discover contemporary Moroccan publications in the fields of literature, history, and humanities.
Mohamed Mahboub, representative of “Bab Al-Hikma” publications, confirmed that this year’s participation focused on showcasing books in the humanities and social sciences, alongside historical publications that are increasingly of interest to researchers and academic institutions in China. The pavilion celebrated a special highlight on the book “Discovering China” by Moroccan researcher Taybe Bayad, which will soon be published in Chinese by “People’s Publishing House,” one of the leading publishers in Beijing.
Additionally, “Action” House signed a cooperation agreement with the General Director of “People’s Publishing House,” Ms. Gong Sun, to translate two Moroccan books into Chinese: “Rabat… the City of Lights” and “Treasures of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Morocco.”
On the sidelines of the fair, the Moroccan delegation held professional meetings with Chinese publishers to discuss means of cultural cooperation and enhance literary exchange between Morocco and China through translation and joint publishing.
