SILA 2025: A Grand Celebration of Knowledge, Memory, and Cultural Convergence
✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Algiers – October 2025 – The 28th Algiers International Book Fair (SILA) opened its doors yesterday at the Exhibition Palace in Les Pins Maritimes under the auspices of Prime Minister Sifi Ghrieb, in the presence of members of the government, senior state officials, and representatives of national institutions. Bearing the evocative slogan “The Book, Crossroads of Cultures,” the fair — now open to the public until November 8 — welcomes the Islamic Republic of Mauritania as the Guest of Honor. With a record participation of 1,254 exhibitors from 49 countries, including 290 from Algeria, 410 from the Arab world, and 554 from other regions, the SILA remains a leading continental platform of intellectual, cultural, and literary exchange.
Spanning an impressive exhibition and activity space of 23,000 square meters, the event offers a literary universe of 240,000 titles encompassing every genre. The fair’s rich cultural program features 55 activities led by 250 distinguished guests from Algeria and abroad, including writers, thinkers, poets, and critics. Conferences, roundtables, and poetic evenings are designed to celebrate diversity in thought and creativity. The official launch of the cultural program takes place today at 11 a.m., attended by the Minister of Culture and Arts, Malika Bendouda, and her Mauritanian counterpart, El-Houssein Ould Meddou. This inaugural day will be notably marked by a tribute to the monumental oeuvre of Rachid Boudjedra, honoring six decades of literary excellence through an encounter with the author himself.
The fair’s activities are distributed across several symbolic spaces. The main conference hall proudly bears the name Assia Djebar, in commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the passing of the iconic Algerian novelist. The Palestine Space is named after the martyred Palestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani, a literary and revolutionary figure whose legacy resonates deeply with Algeria’s own history of struggle. Meanwhile, the “Esprit Panaf” space carries the name of Frantz Fanon, in tribute to the revolutionary psychiatrist and thinker, whose centenary of birth will be commemorated in 2025.
As has long been the tradition, history and national memory occupy a central position at SILA. This year’s edition coincides with the 80th anniversary of the May 8, 1945 massacres and the 70th anniversary of the North Constantine Offensive of August 20, 1955—two defining events of the Algerian liberation movement that will be revisited in a series of conferences on November 1. A special session will also be devoted to Emir Abdelkader, a foundational figure whose spiritual and humanist thought continues to serve as a moral compass for Algeria’s identity, alongside academic discussions exploring the continuity of national identity from Numidia to modern-day Algeria.
In a gesture that underscores SILA’s intellectual depth and international resonance, a roundtable dedicated to Frantz Fanon will bring together notable scholars, including American essayist Adam Shatz, author of the acclaimed Frantz Fanon: A Life in Revolutions. The fair will also pay tribute to Abdelhamid Benhaddouga on the centenary of his birth, reaffirming Algeria’s literary heritage and its enduring influence on Arab and African literature alike.
Dialogues will abound across the fair’s “literary stages,” offering spaces dedicated to the novel, children’s literature, and poetry, featuring prominent Algerian and international authors, including around thirty representatives from the country’s southern regions. Distinguished cultural figures such as Marcel Khalifa, Ahmed Naouq, Ahmed Ali Zein, and Rachid Boudjedra will grace these platforms, enriching the fair with their reflections on art, identity, and creative expression.
True to its legacy of solidarity and engagement, SILA 2025 grants special emphasis to the struggles for liberation and the defense of oppressed peoples, with Palestine and Western Sahara at the moral heart of this edition. A powerful symbol of Algeria’s unwavering commitment to just causes, the fair reaffirms the intrinsic bond between culture and conscience. On November 4, an international colloquium titled “Algeria in Civilization” will convene at the El Aurassi Hotel, further underscoring Algeria’s enduring role as a cradle of thought, culture, and resistance.
Dedicated spaces will also cater to children’s education and creativity, offering engaging programs that nurture a love of books among younger generations. Several homages will be rendered to publishers and authors who passed away this year, honoring their indelible contributions to the world of letters.
With its vast intellectual reach, emotional depth, and cultural plurality, SILA 2025 emerges once again as a grand celebration of the book as a vessel of memory and bridge between civilizations. In an era shadowed by conflict and fragmentation, Algiers stands tall — as it always has — as a beacon of thought, freedom, and humanism, reminding the world that the written word remains the most powerful medium of unity and resilience among peoples.
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