The "Video News Agency" monitored the atmosphere at the Baghdad International Book Fair, which saw a remarkable public turnout and a wide variety of titles and publications offered by Arab publishing houses, reflecting the increasing presence of books and culture in the Iraqi space.
The agency followed the movement of visitors among the exhibition's pavilions and spoke with representatives from Egyptian publishing houses to discuss the most notable participating publications, with books ranging from educational curricula to children's stories, personal development, novels, translated literature, and youth literature, alongside works addressing mental health, women's issues, and society.
Shimaa Samir, a representative from Dar Al-Mubtakar Al-Saghir in Egypt, stated in a statement to the Video News Agency that the publishing house is participating with a range of publications aimed at children, including educational curricula, stories, coloring books, and materials specialized in developing children's skills and upbringing, in addition to interactive books of the "write and erase" type.
Samir added that the publishing house is keen to offer releases that meet the needs of children in Iraq, noting the similarity between the educational curricula used in Egypt and Iraq, which prompted the publishing house to study the needs of Iraqi readers and focus on titles that receive greater interest.
On her part, Hala Al-Bashbishy, the owner of Dar Al-Hala for Publishing and Distribution from Egypt, explained in a talk with the Video News Agency that the publishing house is participating with a diverse range of books, including translated works, novels, and youth literature, as well as publications in the field of mental health and general publishing.
Al-Bashbishy discussed her novel "Tghreedat Eshq," explaining that it addresses aspects of women's lives and human relationships, focusing on the experiences that women have gone through in some Gulf societies, alongside a spiritual perspective that connects inner beauty with humanitarian values.
She pointed out that the novel highlights the concept of the beauty of the soul, away from external appearance, and discusses a person's ability to embrace those around them and interact with others, emphasizing that advancements in education and social relationships do not negate a person's need to connect with spiritual values.
The Baghdad International Book Fair continues to attract readers and those interested in cultural matters, with wide participation from publishing houses and a diversity of book fields on display, from children's and educational publications to literature, novels, thought, and mental health, reinforcing the fair's status as a cultural gathering for publishers, writers, and readers from Iraq and the Arab countries.