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Rabat – Casablanca’s 10-day-long International Book and Print Fair, SIEL 2020, wrapped up on Sunday, having counted nearly half a million people in visitors.
At a press conference to report on the statistics of the 2020 SIEL, Minister of Culture El Hassan Abyaba noted that 15 foreign diplomatic delegations attended the fair, reports state-owned media Maghreb Arab Press.
The 26th SIEL fair ran from February 6 to 16 and paid special tribute to Mauritania as the event’s guest of honor. Along with Mauritanian officials, representatives from across Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Asia came to the book fair with exhibits from their countries.
Six government ministries participated with exhibits as well as 12 embassies and 7 universities.
Abyaba commented that visitors could see 120,000 titles at the fair and join in 120 cultural activities. The Ministry of Culture organized the fair and put on the activities, featuring 70 foreign speakers and 310 Moroccan speakers.
Other organizers, including publishing houses and institutions, put on over 1,000 activities.
The fair presented an opportunity to award multiple prizes. On Saturday, February 15, SIEL awarded the National Reading Prize to nine Moroccan students across different ages. The winners received books, vouchers for books, and certificates recognizing their efforts and achievements.
Also on Saturday, the Ministry of Solidarity, Social Development, Equality, and the Family awarded two booths at the fair for having the most accessible stands for people with disabilities.
The Presidency of the Public Prosecutor’s Office won as the most accessible “institutional exhibitor” and the Moroccan Society of Modern Graphic Arts (SOMAGRAM) won as the most accessible “publisher.”
The award, said Minister of Solidarity Jamila El Moussali, aims to increase the access of people with disability to the “knowledge society.” The initiative also aimed to raise awareness about making spaces accessible for people with disabilities.
Read also: Moroccan Literature Dominates Competition for Acclaimed Arab Book Award
