Tunis book fair to explore AI, Ibn Rushd legacy in milestone 40th edition

TUNIS – The 40th edition of the Tunis International Book Fair will open this month under the slogan “Tunisia, a homeland of books,” running from April 23 to May 3 in one of the country’s most significant annual cultural events, reinforcing Tunisia’s standing as a leading destination for literature, thought and publishing in the region.

The fair will officially open on April 23, with doors to the public opening on April 24. Indonesia has been selected as guest of honour for this year’s edition, presenting a rich cultural showcase through its official pavilion under the theme “Books and reading, a path to heaven.” The programme will feature a delegation of writers and artists, alongside a series of artistic performances staged across different spaces within the fair.

Speaking at a news conference on Thursday announcing the programme, fair director Mohamed Saleh Kadri said this edition stands out for its strong international participation, with 37 countries represented and 394 exhibitors taking part, including 213 publishers from across the Arab world and beyond.

He noted that more than 148,000 titles will be showcased, reflecting both the scale and diversity of contemporary intellectual production, alongside the participation of new publishing houses and the return of others absent from previous editions.

Special emphasis has been placed this year on children’s programming, which will include 216 activities spread across seven dedicated spaces and delivered by 75 institutions. The programme aims to bridge traditional cultural forms with modern modes of expression, catering to younger audiences and evolving reading habits.

The fair will also host a broad programme of seminars combining intellectual debate with public engagement, bringing together academics, researchers and specialists. Key themes include the relationship between the novel and cinema, innovation in writing and the use of heritage in contemporary creativity, as well as the future of publishing professions amid digital transformation.

A major international forum will also be held on the impact of artificial intelligence on the publishing chain, from author to reader, reflecting growing global debate on the future of knowledge production.

This year’s edition will further mark 900 years since the birth of the philosopher Ibn Rushd (Averroes), underscoring the fair’s commitment to Enlightenment values, open thought and intellectual exchange.

Between heritage and modernity, the Tunis International Book Fair is positioning itself as a space of dialogue, where classical philosophical traditions meet the challenges of artificial intelligence and digital transformation. In doing so, it traces a continuous intellectual thread linking Ibn Rushd’s legacy of reason with today’s evolving questions about knowledge, culture and human understanding.