The second International Children’s and Youth Book Fair opened on Saturday at Parc Anfa in Casablanca, running from December 14 to 22.
The fair provides a platform for authors to engage with young readers and promote a love of reading among children.
This year, Wallonia-Brussels (Belgium) is the guest of honor, further enhancing the fair’s mission to position Casablanca as both an economic hub and a global cultural destination. The initiative seeks to establish the city as one of the few worldwide to host an international book fair dedicated to youth literature.
The 2024 exhibition features 340 publishers from 29 countries, showcasing a wide range of books in different genres. The fair also includes workshops, seminars, and performances to support the book industry and provide a wealth of literary resources for Moroccan youth.
Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, highlighted how the fair contributes to fostering children’s and young people’s interest in reading, despite the rise of new technologies.
He also commended the ministry’s efforts to support publishers in producing books on Moroccan themes, showcasing the Kingdom’s history and heritage and opening them up to the public.
Chiraz El Fassi, General Delegate of Wallonia-Brussels in Morocco, stated she was proud of her region’s participation, describing it as a celebration of the historical and cultural links between Morocco and Wallonia-Brussels.
The fair’s extensive program includes 405 workshops across seven activity spaces, 66 cultural activities, and training sessions for education professionals in library management. It also features initiatives to integrate young painters and writers into the children’s and youth book industry.