The Kingdom of Morocco launched the activities of (Rabat World Book Capital 2026) with a large celebration held on Friday at the Mohammed V Theater in conjunction with World Book Day, amid a wide official and artistic presence. The celebration of Rabat as the World Book Capital coincides with the organization of the 31st session of the International Publishing and Book Fair in Rabat, which will be held from the first to the tenth of May, with the participation of 890 exhibitors from 60 countries.

Published on: 04/25/2026 - 11:35

Morocco launched the “Rabat World Book Capital” 2026 events on Friday at the Mohammed V Theater in the capital, Rabat.

The Moroccan Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, received a symbolic book from the Brazilian Ambassador to Morocco, Alexandre Guido Lopez Parola, embodying the move of the World Book Capital from Rio de Janeiro to Rabat, starting from April 24 to the same date next year.

It is noteworthy that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been choosing a different city every year to promote books and reading among all age and population groups, whether at the local or international level since 2002. Among the countries chosen in previous years are Alexandria, New Delhi, Montreal, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Athens, Sharjah, Kuala Lumpur, and Accra.

"A bridge for dialogue between cultures"

Bensaid said that choosing Rabat as the capital of the book “is not an honorary title, but rather an international recognition of Morocco’s status as a beacon of thought and a bridge for dialogue between cultures,” stressing the preparation of “an exceptional program that takes books from institutions to public spaces and by transforming the city into an open library in which international literatures intersect with unique local privacy.”

It is noteworthy that the program (Rabat, World Book Capital) includes 342 activities, including awareness campaigns on the importance of reading, book fairs, publishing mobile libraries, organizing literary residencies, holding conferences for book professionals, and training courses.

For his part, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for the Maghreb and the organization’s representative in Morocco, Charaf Ahmemed, explained that Rabat “optimally embodies the dialogue between heritage and modernity, and constitutes a space for the movement of ideas and the transmission of knowledge.”

The celebration included expressive dance paintings designed by Najia Al-Attawi, singing performances performed by Melhoun artist Sanaa Marahati, and readings in Morocco’s cultural memory that recalled the legacy of some symbols of Moroccan thought and culture throughout history.

It is noteworthy that the celebration of Rabat as the World Book Capital coincides with the organization of the 31st session of the International Publishing and Book Fair in Rabat, which will be held from the first to the tenth of next May, with the participation of 890 exhibitors from 60 countries. This session also celebrates the traveler Ibn Battuta.

France 24/Reuters

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