A turnout for Children's publishing houses, government movement for Baghdad Award

INA - BAGHDAD

In a world full of heroes, children's publishing houses have been launching at the book fair as pioneers of goodness carrying the keys to imagination and inspiration. 

This year's book fair opened its doors to embrace children's creativity through the participation of dozens of publishing houses specialized in this field. Of course, it was not just a book display, but rather an exploratory journey into an amazing world where words turn into adventures.

"More than 70% of families and visitors to the Baghdad International Book Fair came specifically to search for publishing houses concerned with children's books," said the founder of Masabih House for Children, Qasim Saoodi, in a statement to the Iraqi News Agency - INA.


He says, "We have a special audience that does not let us down, as it cares about providing the best for its children and is always looking for books that contribute to developing their minds and interests."

Saoodi added that the most requested books by the public are those with a bilingual character, such as the stories of "Cinderella" and "Snow White", noting that "Masabih House always seeks to combine heritage and authenticity on the one hand, and modernity and contemporaneity on the other hand. This comes to provide content that touches on the needs of children and takes into account the aspirations of parents. 

"The House has held a reading activity for children within the exhibition's activities, a drawing and storytelling activity will be added soon, in a step aimed at enhancing children's interaction with books and strengthening their love of reading and art," he noted.

He expresses his happiness with the large turnout of families this year compared to previous years, describing the experience as "more wonderful and dazzling," highlighting, "We are betting that children's books coming out of Baghdad will reach anywhere in the world. When people outside Iraq ask us about the possibility of obtaining our books, we tell them that as long as we are printing children's books, this is evidence that we are doing well. That we will continue to serve future generations." 

"PM Muhammed S. al-Sudani promised to launch the first round of the Children's Book Project, which will be accompanied by a theatrical festival as part of the exhibition's activities," announcing that the Baghdad Grand Prize for Children's Books, an international competition that "aims to attract even international writers to participate, opening new horizons for developing this field."


Ahmed Al-Alawi, owner of Al-Ruwa Children's House, from Bahrain, explained in his interview with the INA that the house was established six years ago, and participated in the current round of the book fair with more than 55 publications. 

However, he pointed out that the difficulty of shipping made them limit publications at times. This is the second year they have participated, expressing their happiness with this presence, which witnesses an annual increase in the number of publications, as 15 to 20 new publications are presented annually.

Al-Alawi added: "The Iraqi family, by nature, seeks a cultural atmosphere, as it pays great attention to the educational and moral aspects of educating its children. The Iraqi family requests books that enhance children's behavior and develop their skills and talents. They are keen to teach them principles and ethics through illustrated books full of attractive drawings and colors. Iraq is a cultured country by nature, where writing is part of its cultural identity."


Education and Entertainment

Khalid, the representative of Asfatan Children’s House in Lebanon, confirmed to the INA that this participation in the Baghdad International Book Fair is their first, noting that the house feels very proud to participate in this important cultural event. 

He added, “We feel that our participation reflects the importance of the field in which we work, which overlaps between entertainment, education, culture, and upbringing, as well as aims to develop young minds and build strong cognitive foundations for children.”

“Today, we are witnessing an increasing interest from parents and educational institutions in books as a basic tool for developing imagination and knowledge in children. We at Asfatan House are working to provide distinctive content that combines benefit and entertainment, with a focus on promoting educational and cultural values,” he pointed out.

Khalid highlighted, “Our goal is to inspire new generations and help them discover new worlds through books. We always strive to develop our content to suit the needs of children in this digital age, while maintaining a balance between fun and learning.”


Three children's mother, Iman Salim, spoke about her experience at the Baghdad International Book Fair and the children's publishing houses that caught her attention this year. 

She confirmed to the INA that her children's interaction with the activities accompanying the books was distinctive, as they participated in drawing workshops and interactive stories organized by some publishing houses, which increased their enthusiasm for reading. 

"As a mother, I feel reassured when I see that there is a growing interest in books directed at children in Iraq. We need these types of books that help our children build their personalities and provide them with the necessary tools to face the future," sh expressed.

Iman believes that every book presented by these publishers is an invitation for children to explore new worlds, gain valuable insights, and embark on adventures that take them away from their daily routines. "At this exhibition, entertainment meets education, and stories begin to inspire future generations."