Rabat – The International Publishing and Book Fair (SIEL) in Rabat concluded, with a record of 502,000 visitors from April 30 to May 10.
Key figures from the organizers said this year’s edition also featured 891 exhibitors from over 60 countries.
SIEL 2026 also presented more than 300 cultural sessions held across designated spaces, along with over 135,000 titles and nearly three million copies.
The event welcomed France as this year’s guest of honor, shedding light on a new chapter in cooperation and bilateral ties between the two countries. France and Morocco renewed their commitment to continue boosting ties at all levels, especially following Paris’ recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
Ibn Battuta, Morocco’s renowned adventurer, was also a central figure of this year’s edition, in recognition of the impact of his famous travels.
Cultural spaces hosted over 30 sessions on intellectual and creative topics, with the program also featuring renowned figures, research, and creativity.
Cultural programs also offered 2,300 activities, including conferences, meetings, book signings, creative readings, and training programs.
Morocco’s National Human Rights Council (CNDH) was among the Moroccan institutions that took part in SIEL, devoting a significant space to children and their place in public life. CNDH also offered a session from children who spoke about the place of Moroccan Sahrawi women and their empowerment within society.
Moreover, SIEL convened authors during a panel titled “African Anglophone Literature: The New Moroccan Trend,” which offered a sustained interrogation of language, visibility, and cultural authority in contemporary Moroccan writing in English.
The session brought together Moroccan author Mhani Alaoui, Moroccan author and university professor at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Dhar El Mehraz, Khalid Bekkaoui, and Moroccan poet Racha Belkoda.
The Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, in cooperation with the Rabat–Salé–Kénitra Region, at the OLM Souissi venue.
