On the occasion of the launch of the 7th edition of the 2023 literary season, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaïd, announced the implementation of a set of measures to promote reading in Morocco.
The National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco (BNRM) hosted, in Rabat, the launch ceremony for the 2023 literary season in its 7th edition, bringing together authors, national and international publishers and personalities from the world of culture and the media, to celebrate the Moroccan book.
Speaking at a cultural gathering, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaïd, announced that his department was planning to publish 300 books by Moroccan authors in addition to the construction of new public libraries as well than bookstores in all regions of the Kingdom.
According to the Minister, the contribution of book professionals is also important, which will result in an agreement for the promotion of books and the influence of Moroccan culture on the international level, its wide distribution but also the increase in sales in this sector.
He also affirmed Morocco’s presence at the African Book Fair, scheduled for mid-March in Paris, as well as at the Brussels and Geneva fairs, with the aim of promoting Moroccan literature internationally.
In addition, Bensaïd unveiled the creation of a new literary prize, in collaboration with the Federation of Cultural and Creative Industries (FICC).
The Minister took the opportunity to inform the public of the reasons for the decision to relocate the International Publishing and Book Fair (Siel) to Rabat, stressing that it is ” true that SIEL has long been associated with the city of Casablanca, this city which gave birth to many literary greats. However, for logistical reasons, the festival had to be relocated to Rabat. We ensure that Casablanca can have an international children’s book fair. Regional fairs will also emerge across the country.”.
“We work for a common goal: the return of reading in our society, especially among children who represent future generations. We cannot imagine a future without books“, he added.
On the other hand, the president of the Professional Union of Publishers of Morocco (UPEM) and director of editions of Crossroads, Abdelkader Retnani, justified his decision to hold this year’s launching ceremony in Rabat, usually organized in Casablanca, by its wish to organize the next cultural mass in another Moroccan city by opting for an alternating approach.
Note that this edition in Rabat will know the participation of about 200 authors, publishers and booksellers who will expose to readers the works of the past year.