The reality is that every country censors at some level (try publishing a book advocating terrorism or paedophilia), and that supposedly democratic countries like the US are among the repeat offenders when it comes to book bans.

The 27th Algiers International Book Fair (SILA) kicked off on November 7, 2024, at the SAFEX Exhibition Centre in Algiers. This year’s theme is variously translated as “read to Triumph” or “we Read to Win”. Qatar is the Guest of Honour.

Commemorating History

The 27th incarnation of SILA coincides with the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the 1954 November 1 Revolution.

Introducing the “My First Book” Award

This year the fair, which has a budget of DZD 1.3 billion ($9.7 million) introduces a new award, “My First Book“, for young writers in the field of fiction for first published works of writers under 35 years old who have released their first book in 2024, in Arabic, Berber, or French. The financial value of the award will be DZD 500,000 ($3,700) for each winner.

International Participation

SILA24 sees 1,007 publishers across 40 countries, including 290 from Algeria, showcasing over 300,000 titles, in addition to the participation of 350 guests from 24 countries activities.

Embracing Digital Evolution

The Governor of the Algiers International Book Fair, Mohamed Iguerb, at a pre-launch press conference, said that digital featured strongly in SILA’s evolution, with “broadcast seminars and cultural events and produce ‘The Fair Podcast: An Open Book’ on digital platforms, particularly YouTube.“

While the SILA website is in Arabic, French ad English, the podcasts appear to be only in French.

Record Attendance

In recent years, the Algiers International Book Fair has seen impressive attendance numbers, and last year it was the fourth largest book fair in the world by footfall, and the second largest in Africa after Cairo.

The previous year the event pulled in “only” 1.1 million due to the pandemic.

Censorship Concerns

But amid the hype and optimism, a cloud hangs over SILA24 in the form of alleged censorship.

“French-Algerian author Kamel Daoud, who won the Prix Goncourt last week, was not invited to this year’s 27th edition of Algiers International Book Fair. And he’s not the only one – which has led some to fear a ‘complete ban from publishing’.”

That’s according to US News, which explains that the Prix Goncourt is France’s most prestigious literary award.

Daoud’s book, Houris, contravenes an article of the Charter for Peace and National Reconciliation, which prohibits the evocation of the ‘wounds of the national tragedy’, in what appears to be a classic case of established law causing a book to be banned, rather than a directive from on high about a particular title, raising a perennial issue for publishing, that censorship is a balancing act, not a line in the sand.

The reality is that every country censors at some level (try publishing a book advocating terrorism or paedophilia), and that supposedly democratic countries like the US are among the repeat offenders when it comes to book bans.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsletter.