12th Baku International Book Fair Unites 32 Nations in Celebration of Literature

The 12th Baku International Book Fair convened in Baku, Azerbaijan, drawing authors and publishers from 32 countries to celebrate the enduring power of literature across cultural and linguistic divides. Among the international participants was Iranian novelist Parinoush Saniee, author of The Book of Fate — a novel exploring women's lives amid political upheaval — who spoke about the universal resonance of human stories: "Human suffering, lifestyles, issues, and problems are overall very impactful for humanity." British children's author Darren Simpson highlighted how emotion transcends borders, noting that seeing children from different countries connect identically to his stories confirmed "the universal nature of a lot of feelings about people's needs and their desire to connect." Azerbaijani writers Reyhan Yusifgizi and Elmira Akhundova stressed the importance of engaging young readers, with Akhundova insisting that "a book must absolutely be geared toward humanism." The fair took place against the backdrop of Baku's rich literary heritage, from the medieval poet Nizami Ganjavi to contemporary Azerbaijani voices. Despite the rapid rise of digital entertainment, the fair affirmed that physical books and face-to-face literary gatherings remain vital to cultural exchange. Baku has long been described as a gateway between East and West, and the book fair reflects that role as a meeting point for literary traditions from across the globe.