Over 500*000 million Yemeni Riyals is the estimated sales revenues from the 25 Sana'a International book fair up to Wednesday Oct. 22* declared Dr. Faris Al-Saqqaf* Chairman of the Public Authority of Books of the Ministry of Culture. "An average of 40*000 visitors comes to the fair every day and this number increases significantly on weekends*" he said.The fair?s visitors came from different governorates around the republic and* according to the fair's administration* there were more women than men visiting and buying books.Organized by the Ministry of Culture* the fair includes over 300*000 titles on different genres* including religion* education* science and politics.Last year the fair drew over 1 million people with total returns of more than YR 1 billion.This year* there was a general complaint that the timing of the fair was not the most suitable because it came right after the Eid vacation and in the beginning of the academic year. "The timing of the fair was not convenient this year because it came both in the middle of the month and after the Eid holiday which caused some of the books to arrive late to the fair due to delayed custom procedures*" said Mohammed Jabr from Jordanian publishing house Dar Al-Maseerah* adding that he hoped that Yemeni university libraries and other cultural establishments would have sufficient allowances to buy books this year.Al Saqqaf said that the timing of Sana'a book fair was determined by the Arab Publishers Union. "The Sharja Book Fair is due on Oct. 29* and we had to agree with this particular time frame*" he explained.However* despite the fair being held right after Eid and in the context of unprecedented high cost of living in Yemen* citizens have shown great interest in visiting the fair and buying books. According to Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Maqalih* the president?s cultural advisor* books are and will continue to be the first tool to obtain knowledge. He described the book fair as "an Eid for culture and knowledge". "About 400 local and Arab publishers are taking part in the fair*" said Al-Saqqaf* "This year we have an outdoor tent called 'Reading for All' which offers books at cheap prices and a special part of the fair for children's books and electronic chips.?Ekrami Al-Deshi from the Egyptian Alpha Publishing House said that books about herbal medicine and Islam are those most demanded by the Yemeni reader.The book fair?s popularity has increased this year with more publishing houses displaying their books at the fair?s stands.During the inauguration on Oct. 15* Minister of Culture Mohammed Al-Maflahi expressed happiness that Yemenis were eager to read and buy books. "Sana'a book fair has gained a good reputation regionally and internationally and it is considered the second largest book fair in the Arab world*" he said.Marwan Al-Ariqi from Yemeni publishing house Dar Al-Hikma Al-Yamania said* "This year there are more participating publishing houses and the demand for books has doubled*" adding that as a consequence the lanes between stands were very narrow at this year?s fair.Rasslan Aladdeen from Syria suggested a larger venue for the Sana'a book fair next year to match its growing importance.Al-Saqqaf agreed with this notion and hoped that by the time of the 26th fair* the National Library's exhibition hall* to be constructed next year* would be ready to host the event.Some publishing houses complained that book fair organizers had given preferential treatment and better stand locations to certain publishers* and protested at the bribes they have to give book-purchasing committees in order for them to buy their books. They added that they would prefer the Ministry of Culture to directly organize the book fair in the future. In response to this* the exhibition's management explained that there had to be some preferences as they had placed country representatives in the front of the exhibition in order to avoid conflict* but that they tried to give all publishing houses a fair chance by reaching a compromise with those left out in other years.On the sidelines of the book fair* the Ministry of Culture organized a number of cultural activities including poetry readings* a film and a concert* as well as literary and political symposiums.According to Al-Saqqaf* additional activities included a signing ceremony for the first collection of poems by Yemeni poet Abdullah Abdulwahab Noman (otherwise known as Al-Fadhul) and an honoring ceremony for Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Maqalih* the translator of "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen?* a novel by British writer Paul Torday.The fair will run until Oct. 26 with special days devoted for schools and university students....

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