Rabat launches festivities for ‘UNESCO World Book Capital 2026’

RABAT - Morocco is preparing to experience an exceptional cultural event, combining the official launch of the "Rabat World Book Capital 2026" program (starting April 24, 2026) with the holding of the 31st edition of the International Publishing and Book Fair (SIEL), from May 1 to 10, 2026.

The Moroccan capital confirms its status as a cultural crossroads and a global hub for culture and the knowledge industry. Rabat's designation as World Book Capital under the UNESCO initiative crowns the city's millennial history, its lasting commitment to culture and education, as well as the dynamism of its book sector. With more than 54 publishing houses and a growing number of bookstores, Rabat today represents an essential engine for the democratization of knowledge.

The SIEL, a flagship event organized by the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, is one of the most important book fairs on the African continent. It constitutes a major milestone in this grand annual celebration.

In collaboration with national partners and UNESCO bodies, the Ministry is supervising the implementation of a rich annual program, comprising 342 activities articulated around 12 themes. These initiatives aim to take the book out of its traditional setting by reaching out to citizens in hospitals, reform centers, orphanages, public squares, and transport hubs.

At the heart of this dynamic, the 31st edition of SIEL will present a cultural offering of significant scale, with the participation of 890 exhibitors (320 direct and 570 indirect) from 60 countries, and more than 130,000 titles. France is this year’s Guest of Honor. This edition will also pay tribute to the 14th-century Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta, placing travel literature at the center of the debates.

The fair offers a prolific cultural program, featuring more than 204 events and the participation of 720 thinkers and creators, who will address contemporary challenges of reading as well as innovations in the cultural and creative industries.

About World Book Capitals

Cities designated as World Book Capital by the Director-General of UNESCO—upon the recommendation of an Advisory Committee—commit to promoting books and reading for all ages and groups, both within and beyond national borders, and to organizing a program of activities for the year.

As the twenty-sixth city to bear this title since 2001, Rabat succeeds Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogota (2007), Amsterdam (2008), Beirut (2009), Ljubljana (2010), Buenos Aires (2011), Yerevan (2012), Bangkok (2013), Port Harcourt (2014), Incheon (2015), Wroclaw (2016), Conakry (2017), Athens (2018), Sharjah (2019), Kuala Lumpur (2020), Tbilisi (2021), Guadalajara (2022), Accra (2023), Strasbourg (2024), and Rio de Janeiro (2025).

The UNESCO World Book Capital Advisory Committee is composed of representatives from the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), the International Authors Forum (IAF), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), the International Publishers Association (IPA), and UNESCO.