Iraq International Book Fair to Host 350 Publishing Houses

The third edition of the Iraq International Book Fair is set to kick off in Baghdad next month.
The third edition of the Iraq International Book Fair is set to kick off in Baghdad next month.
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Iraq International Book Fair to Host 350 Publishing Houses

The third edition of the Iraq International Book Fair is set to kick off in Baghdad next month.
The third edition of the Iraq International Book Fair is set to kick off in Baghdad next month.

The third edition of the Iraq International Book Fair is set to kick off in Baghdad next month. Running from December 7 to 17, the event is organized by Al-Mada for Media Culture & Arts, a media and cultural foundation that moved from Damascus to Baghdad after 2003 

Over 350 Iraqi and Arabic publishing houses from 20 countries will take in the event. Given the exceptional role it plays among the Iraqi and Arabic publishing houses, Dar Al Mada will boast the largest pavilion to display its massive, annual productions.   

This year’s edition has been named after Hadi al-Alawi (1932-1998), an Iraqi, Islamic intellect, historian, and linguist.  

According to the Ihab Al-Qaisi, director of the book fair, the nomination after Alawi has been made for “the role he played over 50 years in studying the Islamic and Arabic modern, scientific renaissance, the unique ideas he had about the Orient, and his deep knowledge of the Chinese and Islamic civilizations.” 

Qaisi said that panels hosting experts to speak about Alawi and his creative journey will be held every day during the book fair. In addition, a bust of the late Iraqi intellect will be unveiled during the event.  

For this year’s edition, Dar Al Mada reprinted all Alawi’s works in a step that aims at introducing a new generation to his works.   

The fair is set to host a number of intellectual and cultural sessions with the participation of thinkers and writers from Iraq and other Arab countries. It will also host poetry readings, book signings, art exhibits and seminars exploring the political movement in Iraq. 

Iraqi cultural and artistic institutions, including the Iraqi Scientific Academy, the Union of Iraqi Writers, and the House of Cultural Affairs, will participate in the fair. 



Tourists Toss Coins over a Makeshift Pool as Rome’s Trevi Fountain Undergoes Maintenance

 A small pool is seen in front of the Trevi Fountain to allow tourists to throw their coins in it, as the fountain has been emptied to undergo maintenance work that will last until around September 2025, in Rome, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP)
A small pool is seen in front of the Trevi Fountain to allow tourists to throw their coins in it, as the fountain has been emptied to undergo maintenance work that will last until around September 2025, in Rome, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP)
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Tourists Toss Coins over a Makeshift Pool as Rome’s Trevi Fountain Undergoes Maintenance

 A small pool is seen in front of the Trevi Fountain to allow tourists to throw their coins in it, as the fountain has been emptied to undergo maintenance work that will last until around September 2025, in Rome, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP)
A small pool is seen in front of the Trevi Fountain to allow tourists to throw their coins in it, as the fountain has been emptied to undergo maintenance work that will last until around September 2025, in Rome, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. (AP)

Tourists eager to return to the Eternal City are being forced to toss coins over a plastic barrier and into a small makeshift pool in front of Rome’s Trevi Fountain while the attraction is being drained for maintenance.

The rectangular box, unadorned and showing its plywood finish, has elicited mixed reactions. “I think it is a very sweet gesture that people can still do that," said Marianna Strekstadt, visiting from the Netherlands on Friday. A cashless traveler, she was taking a pass.

Others, like Daniela Carbone, found the substitute pool “ugly.” Yet, she gave her kids some coins to throw in anyway. “We have to please the children,” she said.

City lore has it that tossing a coin into the Baroque fountain will ensure a return trip to Rome. This tradition generates an estimated 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million) annually, which has been donated to the Catholic charity Caritas for the past 15 years.

To manage the overwhelming number of tourists visiting the fountain, Rome City officials are devising a plan to block off the area around the fountain. Visitors will be required to book online and then pay a fee of 2 euros ($2.20) to get in. Once inside, they will have 30 minutes to enjoy the fountain.