Sharjah 24: Get ready to savour Spain’s writing, cuisine, art, and immerse in the unique facets of its contemporary cultural scene at the Sharjah International Book Fair 2021, which honours and celebrates the nation as Guest of Honour (GoH) of its milestone 40th edition, taking place from November 3 – 13.

At the heart of the book fair, a special celebration of one of the richest and most vibrant cultures of Europe will unfold in a dedicated Spanish Pavilion where the Guest of Honour will hold over 25 activities including literary discussions and book-reading sessions, culinary presentations, and cultural and musical performances showcasing the country’s biggest talents. Publishing professionals will have the opportunity to network with Spanish publishers attending SIBF 2021 to explore partnerships as well as translation and rights trading opportunities.

Literary events
Writers of the blockbuster Netflix series Money Heist (La Casa de Papel), Javier Gómez Santander and Diego Ávalos, who were the creative minds behind turning the TV drama into a worldwide phenomenon, will lead an exciting session titled ‘Content Creation’, detailing how to approach award-winning writing for the screen.  

Other famous award-winning Spanish authors who will present sessions at SIBF 2021 include writer, scriptwriter, and journalist Gabi Martínez, author of Los mares de Wang and Voy; novelist and poet Irene Solá, whose works are being translated into 17 languages, including English, French, Dutch, Turkish and Arabic; Maite Mutuberria, author of Millones de pasos (Caminar y contar), Amaren intxaurrak and Julio Soto Ezkurdia, among others; and author and illustrator of children's books including De qué color es un beso and The Highest Mountain of Books in the World, Rocío Bonilla. 

Forma Antiqua’s ‘La Caramba’
Spain will showcase one of its most celebrated baroque classical music ensembles, Forma Antiqua, led by Aarón Zapico, one of the most sought-after conductors in Spain. The award-winning troupe will perform the legendary La Caramba, based on the life of María Antonia Vallejo Fernández, the 18th-century tonadilla singer and dancer who was famously known as ‘La Caramba’.

Themed ‘There’s always a right book,’ the forthcoming 40th annual SIBF is organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) and will see the participation of 1,632 publishing houses from 83 countries. More than 15 million books including 110,000+ new titles which will be making their debut in SIBF will be accessible to book lovers throughout the 11-day celebration of literature, knowledge, and culture.