The fair’s 35th edition was planned to take place between 11 and 20 April 2026. A new date has not yet been announced.
The decision was conveyed in a letter from the Arab Publishers Union, headed by publisher Mohamed Rashad, to its members.
The letter said the postponement comes in response to communications from Saeed bin Hamdan Al-Tuniji, executive director of the Abu Dhabi Centre for the Arabic Language and director of the fair, while taking into account the circumstances of participating publishers and partners.
Founded in 1981, then under the name The Islamic Book Fair, the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) is an annual cultural and publishing event held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
It brings together publishers, authors, booksellers, cultural institutions, and readers from around the world to promote reading, exchange ideas, support the publishing industry, and encourage cultural dialogue.
It is considered one of the major book fairs in the Middle East and North Africa.
A core tradition of the fair is the “Guest of Honour,” which highlights a different country each year, as well as the “Personality of the Year,” which celebrates an outstanding author.
The 34th edition of the fair ran from 26 April to 5 May 2025 under the theme “Knowledge Illuminates Our Community.” The event hosted about 1,400 exhibitors from 96 countries, presenting books in more than 60 languages.
In 2025, the fair announced a five-year schedule for its activities, stating that the 35th edition was planned to take place from 25 April to 4 May 2026, followed by the 36th edition from 24 April to 3 May 2027, the 37th from 22 April to 1 May 2028, the 38th from 28 April to 7 May 2029, and the 39th edition from 27 April to 6 May 2030.
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