41st International Istanbul Book Fair Opens, Celebrating Azerbaijan as the Honored Country
The 41st International Istanbul Book Fair officially opened at the TUYAP Exhibition and Congress Center, with its ceremony held in the Black Sea Hall. This year, Azerbaijan has been selected as the honorary country of the fair, reinforcing the deep cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Key attendees at the opening included Istanbul Governor Davut Gul, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Rayev, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Culture Ferit Jafarov, Azerbaijani author Elchin Efendiyev, and Director General of Libraries and Publishing Houses in Türkiye, Taner Beyoglu, alongside numerous literary enthusiasts.
Governor Gul and Mayor Imamoglu welcomed Azerbaijan as the honorary country and Yalvac Ural as the honorary author of the fair, congratulating them both on this recognition.
In his remarks, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Culture Ferit Jafarov expressed pride in Azerbaijan’s status at the fair, emphasizing the strong bonds between Azerbaijan and Türkiye. Recalling the words of the late Azerbaijani leader Heydar Aliyev, he stated, “Azerbaijan and Türkiye are ‘one people, two states,’ united by shared ethnic and religious roots, a rich civilization, and common values. Literature plays a crucial role in strengthening this historical bond,” Jafarov remarked.
The opening of Azerbaijan’s honorary stand followed, displaying books from Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture and its National Library. Guests enjoyed live performances by Azerbaijani musicians, artists, and poets, showcasing the country’s vibrant culture. Jafarov thanked TURKSOY Secretary General Sultan Rayev for attending the Azerbaijani stand’s opening.
Later, Secretary General Rayev toured Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism stand, where he received collections on “Turkish Music” and “Turkish Cuisine” from Taner Beyoglu, Türkiye’s Director General of Libraries and Publishing Houses.
This year’s fair theme, “Childhood is a Holiday!”, highlights the importance of childhood in literature and will host readers, authors, publishers, and cultural figures until November 10.
