Arakan News Agency | Exclusive
On Saturday, the Istanbul International Arabic Book Fair launched its tenth edition, with the participation of the Arakan Humanitarian Association, which is concerned with the issue of the Rohingya Muslim minority. More than 300 publishing houses from nearly 20 countries, along with a number of universities, schools, and cultural institutions took part in the fair.
Under the slogan “Arabic Remains”, the fair’s opening ceremony was attended by Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, along with several senior officials, intellectuals, and writers from Turkey and the Arab world. The participation of the Arakan Association comes within the framework of its activities aimed at raising awareness about the Rohingya and their suffering through various cultural and media platforms and events.
During the opening ceremony, the general coordinator of the fair, Muhammad Aghir Akja, stated that the fair serves as a cultural meeting in Istanbul targeting the Arab communities and lovers of the Arabic language and youth in Turkey. He emphasized the importance and value of the Arabic language, saying, “Arabic has been here for a long time and will remain, and with the continuation of Islam and Muslims, the Arabic language will continue.”
For his part, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül said in his speech that the Arabic language is not only for Arab communities but is a language of culture and civilization as it was in the past. He stressed the importance of learning and teaching it as importantly as the Turkish language.
Former advisor to the Turkish president in the Justice and Development Party, Yasin Aktay, said that the slogan “Arabic Remains” is inspiring and that the Arabic language remains the mother tongue. He added that the Turks in previous states integrated Arabic with the people and received it in their language, and that Arabic words in the Turkish language are no less than 7 to 8 thousand words, which is evidence of the integration of the two languages.
Regarding the association’s participation in the fair and its importance, the executive director of the Arakan Humanitarian Association, Salim Noor, said that the association’s participation in the fair is of great importance to raise awareness about the issue of the Rohingya Muslim minority, amid ongoing violence and persecution against them in the Arakan state in western Myanmar, especially with the fair attracting large numbers of the Arab community in Turkey, political figures, cultural elites, scholars, thinkers, media professionals, and influencers.
Noor added that the Rohingya have been suffering from violence and persecution for decades, in the absence of international action and tangible steps to resolve their issue or improve the living conditions of more than a million refugees in camps in Bangladesh, as well as the lack of preparation for their safe return to their homeland.
The first day of the fair witnessed a big turnout of visitors to the association’s booth, especially from senior guests, including the freed Palestinian prisoner from Israeli occupation prisons, Nael Barghouti, who confirmed that the cause of the oppressed Rohingya is no less important than the Palestinian cause, hoping that it would receive greater media attention and that the Rohingya would return to their homeland safely.
The fair continues until August 17 in the exhibition city in the “Yenikapı” area in Istanbul. It is considered the largest Arabic book fair outside the Arab world and includes a diverse cultural program that includes intellectual lectures, literary and poetry evenings, book signing events, and specialized sections such as the “Language Corner,” “Intellectual Property Rights,” “Educational Institutions and International Schools,” “University Services,” and “Art Panels.”
The fair is organized by the “International Association of Arabic Book Publishers,” in coordination with the Turkish Publishers Association, the Turkish Publishers Association, and with the support of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce. The Istanbul International Arabic Book Fair aims to attract more than 100,000 visitors.
