The Hargeisa International Book Fair (HIBF) is an annual cultural event in the Republic of Somaliland. It is one of the largest public book fairs in the Horn of Africa. Every summer, HIBF brings writers, poets, artists, and thinkers from Somaliland and from all over the world to gather to share and discuss their art and literary productions with a wider audience. The main goal of the festival is to promote a culture of reading and writing in the country by producing and publishing high-quality Somali literature and translating international classical literature (including fiction, poetry and drama) into Somali. Organized by the Hargeysa Cultural Center, the event aims to enable young people to access a range of cultural heritages, with the intention of stimulating the revival of all forms of art and human expression, including painting, poetry reciting, story-telling, drama composition, and writing.
