Every book is lined up in its place, waiting for visitors and reading enthusiasts... Are you ready for the encounter?
Adham Sharqawi... a novelist and writer who has enriched the Arabic library with dozens of works. Have you ever read any of them? Be there and seize the opportunity to meet him at the Damascus International Book Fair.
Minister of Culture Mohammed Saleh inspects preparations four days before the start of the Damascus International Fair
"Sham," "Damascus," "Al-Fayhaa"... many names are associated with the City of Jasmine and the historic capital of Syria. Which name resonates with you the most? Share your opinion in the comments!
The Damascus International Book Fair is approaching... You should approach it too. Have you decided which events you will attend?
"Abdul Rahman Al-Haj, an academic and researcher specializing in Islamic movements. He has published several books, including The State and the Community: The Political Aspirations of Religious Groups in Syria 2000–2010, as well as numerous specialized studies. Have you come across any of his publications? Be there on time and seize the opportunity to meet him at the Damascus International Book Fair."
Ayman Al-Atoum... an engineer who mastered the art of writing, authoring novels beloved and influential by young Arabs... Have you ever owned one of his books? Be there and seize the opportunity to meet him at the Damascus International Book Fair.
Damascus International Book Fair Visiting Hours The Damascus International Book Fair is open to visitors every day of the week, offering a daily appointment with knowledge, culture, and reading. From 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM On Fridays only: From 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM Be sure to discover thousands of titles, diverse cultural events, and an enriching intellectual experience awaiting you among the bookshelves.
"The Ministry of Culture visited our people in the northern camps with a delegation that included the minister, the cultural bus, and several members of the ministry’s team. The bus offered a variety of field activities inside the camp, including interactive reading sessions, simplified workshops in writing and drawing, storytelling performances directed at children, as well as expressive activities that provided a safe space for learning and interaction. During his visit, the Minister of Culture emphasized that the camps have, over the years, been havens of sacrifice, patience, and perseverance, and a source of resilience that embodied the values of the revolution and its human meanings."
Departure points of public transport buses from Damascus city to the Damascus International Book Fair at the Exhibition City. We look forward to welcoming you at the largest cultural event in Syria 📚
Seminar Title: “Twinning between Arabs and Kurds since Antiquity” An in-depth reading into the roots of the historical and cultural relationship between Arabs and Kurds— a relationship of interaction and civilizational interweaving that contributed to shaping Syria’s diverse social and cultural fabric, and reinforced the values of coexistence across the ages. 📍 Venue: Syrian National Library 🗓 Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 ⏰ Time: 2:00 PM 🎟 Open Invitation
The Minister of Culture conducted a tour in Deir ez-Zor Governorate that included the Directorate of Culture and the National Museum, in addition to crossing the river to the Hajin area. During the visit, the Minister and the accompanying delegation reviewed the current state of cultural infrastructure and its needs, and held a number of meetings with tribal elders and community representatives, emphasizing the importance of activating cultural centers and revitalizing cultural, intellectual, and artistic activities, so that the efforts of cultural institutions integrate with society and its aspirations. The Minister and the cultural delegation also offered their condolences to the families of the two children, Omar Al-Anawi and Othman Al-Habbal, who were martyred in Hajin as a result of the explosion of a landmine left over from the remnants of “SDF.”
The Ministry of Culture announced the completion of restoration work on the eighth tower of the Damascus Citadel, in cooperation with the European Union and the Italian organization COSV. The Ministry also launched the Syrian Heritage House project within the Damascus Citadel, as part of an initiative aimed at protecting Syria's tangible and intangible cultural heritage and reintroducing it in an interactive space that strengthens its presence in society. The project, implemented in cooperation with the Italian organization COSV and the European Union, aligns with the Ministry's vision of revitalizing archaeological sites and transforming them into open cultural spaces. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Minister of Culture Mohammed Yassin Al-Saleh, Italian Ambassador to Damascus Stefano Ravagnani, EU Representative to Syria Agne Gleickeå, Director General of the Italian organization COSV Paolo Comoglio, and representatives from the local community.
"The Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with the Italian organization COSV, completed the project 'Syrian Heritage House,' aimed at reviving Syrian cultural heritage and presenting it within an interactive space that strengthens its presence in society. The project consists of transforming Tower No. 8 in Damascus Citadel into a multifunctional interactive cultural space dedicated to introducing both tangible and intangible Syrian cultural heritage, by linking it to the living memory of society and its daily practices. The implementation of the project included restoration work on the tower and the main gate leading toward the Al-Asrouniya market, along with cleaning and maintenance activities, as well as a study of the possibilities for rehabilitating the adjacent garden. The work on the project, which spanned several months, will culminate in its inauguration on Monday and Tuesday, January 26 and 27, 2026, at its location in Damascus Citadel. A permanent visiting schedule will later be set, along with a program of accompanying cultural activities."
The Ministry of Culture signed a cooperation agreement with the Syrian Heritage Forum, Riwaq, aimed at supporting the documentation of Syrian tangible and intangible heritage and strengthening efforts to preserve and make the national cultural memory accessible to the public. This cooperation comes within the framework of supporting serious cultural initiatives that work to document heritage as an integrated fabric combining tangible artifacts and intangible narratives, presenting it within scientific and ethical approaches that respect the rights of individuals and communities who bear the heritage. The agreement stipulates strengthening coordination and cooperation in the areas of documentation, research, and cultural programs, and facilitating fieldwork within legal frameworks, thereby contributing to the protection of Syrian heritage, establishing its attribution, and making it accessible as a living memory available to all. Both parties emphasized the importance of integrating official efforts with independent cultural work, in a way that serves the public interest and preserves Syrian heritage for future generations.
Minister of Culture, Mohammad Yassin Al-Saleh, received a delegation from the Turquoise Mountain International Organization, headed by its president, Ms. Shoshana Stewart, and including British politician and academic, Mr. Rory Stewart. The two sides discussed prospects for joint cooperation to revive Syrian cultural heritage and traditional crafts. Ms. Stewart presented a detailed overview of the organization's work. Founded in 2006, Turquoise Mountain operates in several countries in the region, focusing on three main areas: training artisans, restoring historical sites, and providing global markets for handcrafted products. The delegation expressed the organization's desire to establish a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Culture and open an office in Damascus. The aim would be to conduct specialized workshops for Syrian artisans and contribute to projects restoring archaeological and historical buildings. For his part, the Minister of Culture reviewed the organization's successful experiences in Jordan and Saudi Arabia, emphasizing that protecting and developing Syrian craft heritage is a priority for the Ministry. He directed that the proposed cooperation be studied in depth through official channels to determine the framework for a possible partnership that serves Syrian cultural heritage.
Minister of Culture, Mohammad Yassin Al-Saleh, received a delegation from the World Bank, headed by Dr. Catherine Tufey, Director of the Urban Practices, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience, and Land Sector for the Middle East and North Africa region. The meeting focused on ways to develop cultural and institutional work and enhance cooperation. Minister Al-Saleh emphasized the pivotal role of the Ministry in promoting social stability, highlighting the "Homs Wednesday" initiative as a successful model of community work. This initiative launched fundraising campaigns across various Syrian governorates. He also mentioned the "Cultural Bus" project, which aims to bring culture to rural and remote areas. For her part, Dr. Tufey, the World Bank representative, commended the cultural and community initiatives presented and expressed interest in exchanging expertise and collaborating in the areas of capacity building and developing cultural work models with developmental and social dimensions.
The Rida Saeed Conference Hall at Damascus University hosted an international workshop that addressed the current state of Syrian archives and the challenges they face, both past and future. The workshop was held under the auspices of the Ministries of Culture and Higher Education and Scientific Research, in cooperation with Damascus University and the Syrian Archives Initiative. Academics and researchers from Syria and several Arab and international countries participated. The sessions addressed the archives crisis in the absence of a legal framework and a specialized national institution, the necessity of establishing a public authority for national archives, the protection of historical archives, and the recovery of state documents not currently used administratively. Comparative international experiences were also reviewed. Attendees included the Minister of Culture, Muhammad Yassin Al-Saleh, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Marwan Al-Halabi, several deputy ministers, deans of faculties, and specialized academics and researchers.
قام وزير الثقافة، محمد ياسين الصالح، بتفقد مواقع جمع التبرعات لحملة "الولاء للشام لأهلنا في المخيمات"، واطلع على سير العمل والجهود المبذولة لتوفير مواد التدفئة والاحتياجات الأساسية للأسر في مخيمات شمال سوريا. واجتمع الوزير مع القائمين على الحملة، مشيداً بمبادرات التضامن المجتمعي التي تعكس روح التضامن والمسؤولية الوطنية، ومؤكداً على دور الثقافة في دعم القيم الإنسانية وتعزيز المشاركة المجتمعية.
We were, are, and will remain committed to a unifying Syrian national discourse, rejecting hatred, discrimination, and all the remnants of the former regime, including its bigotry, racism, and sectarianism. During a previous visit to the city of Afrin in the Aleppo countryside, Minister of Culture Mohammed Yassin al-Saleh emphasized that the Arab and Kurdish peoples form a historical unity, sharing a common culture and heritage, and bound together by a unified national framework.
