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The guest list includes award-winning novelists, poets, translators, filmmakers, researchers and academics; who have all made considerable contributions in their respective fields; and many having their work translated into various languages; connecting international audiences with the Arab World.
A local highlight of SIBF 2025’s cultural programme will feature 20 Emirati writers, thinkers and artists, reflecting the depth and diversity of the UAE. Leading the contingent are notable intellectuals such as His Excellency Issa Yousef, Director of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority; and Dr Sultan Al Ameemi, Chairman of the Emirates Writers and Authors Union. They are joined by acclaimed creative voices, including award-winning poet and director Nujoom Al Ghanem; and pioneering actor and producer Ahmed Al Jasmi. The lineup is further strengthened by renowned scholars and researchers like Dr Maryam Al Hashimi, a prominent Emirati literary critic; writer and researcher, Dr Fahd Al Maamari; Dr Saeed Al Dhaheri, Director of the Centre for Future Studies at the University of Dubai; and historian Dr Hamad bin Seray.
The study of Egyptology will also feature prominently with renowned experts such as Dr Zahi Hawass, the famed archaeologist and UNESCO Ambassador known for discoveries in the Valley of the Kings and his 40+ books; and Dr. Wasim Al Sisi, a surgeon and Egyptologist whose research has yielded many patents as well as books such as ‘Egypt You Do Not Know’ and ‘In the Beginning There Was Egypt.’
They are joined by the distinguished Iraqi historian Dr Mohammad Jassim Al Mashhadani, President of the Arab Historians Association; a vastly prolific scholar who has supervised 640+ theses, participated in 300+ conferences, and authored over 170 publications, earning numerous accolades.
The 12-day cultural gathering will welcome a distinguished roster of internationally recognised Arab authors and specialists. This includes acclaimed literary figures such as Kuwaiti novelist Taleb Al Refai, named ‘Cultural Personality of the Year’ at the 40th SIBF, whose work has been translated into several languages; Tunisian academic Shukri Al-Mabkhout, a winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction whose novels are landmarks in contemporary writing; and Egyptian author Mohamed Samir Nada, who received the 2025 International Prize for Arabic Fiction for ‘The Prayer of Anxiety’.
They are joined by pioneering minds from other fields, including Jordanian archaeologist Dr. Zeidan Kafafi, whose excavations have reshaped the understanding of human settlement in Jordan, and Egyptian entrepreneur and Saudi writer and media figure Mohammed Reda Nasrallah, who has hosted leading intellectuals on prominent television shows, and Kuwaiti writer Abdulwahab Al Rifai, a master of science fiction and horror whose prolific output includes over 30 titles, many adapted for film and television.
SIBF 2025 will also spotlight the contributions of Arab women to literature and thought, showcasing a renowned group of influential figures. Among them is Aisha Al Saifi, an Omani poet and engineer celebrated as the first Arab woman to be awarded the title ‘Ameer Al-Shu'araa'. Her internationally acclaimed collections have been recognised by institutions like the American Poetry Academy and have been featured on various media platforms.
She is joined by Haya Saleh, a Jordanian writer and critic specialising in children’s culture, who was honored with the Silver Jubilee Medal from King Abdullah II in 2024 for her award-winning, widely translated work. Another stand-out guest will be Jumana Haddad, a Lebanese writer and journalist fluent in seven languages. An author of 16 books, most of which have been translated into over ten languages, she is consistently ranked among the 100 most influential Arab women in the world.
The 44th SIBF will further enrich its programme with a vast assembly of literary voices from across the Arabic speaking world, creating a truly panoramic view of contemporary Arab thought. Egypt will be represented by influential figures such as Ahmad Abdulatif; Dr Reem Bassiouney; Mirna Al-Mahdi; and critic Dr Huwaida Saleh, among others. The Moroccan contingent combines experience in fiction and critical thought with participants like Dr. Mohamed Ezzeddine El Tazi; Dr Hassan Aourid; a former diplomat known for his works in both Arabic and French; and Karima Ahdad.
From Oman, Zahran Alqasmi; Dr Asyah Al Bualy; and the celebrated poet Aisha Al Saifi will present a diverse picture of Gulf literature. This wide Arab participation extends to Jordan with Dr Reem Obeidat and Dr Ayoub Aboudia; Syria through Nabil Suleiman; Dr Fawaz Al-Mousa; and Rima Bali; and Lebanon with Dr. Mamoun Tarbieh and Obeid Basha. Kuwait is represented by Dr Abdel Nasser Fakhro and Mais Khaled Al-Othman, while Saudi Arabia contributes the intellectual insights of Dr Ashraf Fagih.
The gathering also includes distinguished participants from Bahrain with novelist Aqeel Al-Musawi; Algeria with Siddik Hadj-Ahmed; and Mauritania, welcoming Dr Abdallah Mohamed Salem Elsayed. Among the many preeminent researchers is Dr Rashid Al-Khayoun, an Iraqi scholar in Islamic philosophy and a recipient of the prestigious Sheikh Zayed Book Award, embodying the depth of scholarship present at the event.
The fair will also underscore the reach of Arabic literature throughout Africa with Dr Ahmed Abou El-Fateh Othman and Amin Moussa Awad from Chad; Amadou Ali Ibrahim from Niger; Abdelkader Idris Mega and Abdel Moneim Hassan Mohamed from Mali; Hajj Mamt Sakho and Mohamed El Hadi Sall from Senegal; Mohamed Ben Mohamed Keita from Guinea; and Dr Kaba Omran from Côte d’Ivoire.
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