Kahramanmaraş hosts 11th International Book Fair

The 11th International Kahramanmaraş Book Fair has opened in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, the country's first and only UNESCO City of Literature. Organized by the Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality under the theme ‘Come and Notice’, the event features over 400 authors and 150 publishing houses.

During the opening ceremony, Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fırat Görgel emphasized the city's deep literary heritage, noting that the UNESCO title brings both opportunities and responsibilities to preserve the legacy of figures like Nuri Pakdil and Cahit Zarifoğlu. Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Coşkun Yılmaz highlighted the significant growth of library spaces in Turkey over the last 15 years.

The fair includes a diverse program of academic talks and cultural sessions. Notable participants include historian Prof. Dr. Ahmet Taşağıl, who discussed pre-Islamic Turkic history, and psychologist Beyhan Budak. The event also includes a memorial program for the poet Nuri Pakdil.