Djibouti, April 24, 2023, SONNA)-: The President of the Republic of Djibouti, H.E Ismail Omar Guelle, officially opened the 2023 Djibouti Book Fair today in Djibouti City. The Federal Republic of Somalia was also invited to participate in the event, which coincided with World Book and Copyright Day. The Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism of Somalia, Honorable Daud Aweis Jama, attended the opening ceremony with the President. In his remarks, Minister Aweis congratulated the Republic of Djibouti for recognizing the importance of education, copyright, books, research, and knowledge for social development. He noted that these are important tools for all people in the Horn of Africa and the African continent, not just in Djibouti. The theme of this year’s Djibouti Book Fair is ‘The Book: A Symbol of Unity, Knowledge, Peace, and Coexistence in the Horn of Africa.’ Minister Aweis said that this theme is a call for cooperation and true partnership between countries in the Horn of Africa based on knowledge sharing. ‘We all agree that knowledge is power,’ he said, ‘but it is also important to share that knowledge, which is the key to benefiting from this great power. It is our responsibility to create an environment that allows reading, writing, copyright, education, research, and shared knowledge to promote the interests of citizens and the region as a whole.’ Minister Aweis also conveyed the greetings of the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to the President of the Republic of Djibouti. President Guelle thanked Somalia for participating in the book fair and extended special greetings and compliments to the President of Somalia and the Somali people. The Djibouti Book Fair brings together experts from the Horn of Africa region and the rest of the world. It is a valuable opportunity for people to share knowledge and ideas, and to promote peace and understanding in the region.

Source: Somali National News Agency