The Cambodia Book Fair returns on the occasion of the 8th National Reading Day on March 11. The event, which will run from March 10 to 12, is organised by the Cambodia Book Fair commission in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts and the Ministry of Information.

The fair, which focuses on works by Khmer authors, will be held at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) from 8 am to 8 pm.

Ngin Mischel, coordinator of the fair’s team of volunteers, said the event will feature 110 display stands.

“We have a wide range of books, from children’s books to novels in Khmer and English, but our focus is on Khmer poets, who make up around 70 per cent of the works that will be on display,” she told The Post.

This year marks the return of the spectacular event, following a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19.

Mischel said Friday and Saturday would give students the opportunity to participate, while the fair will be open to the public on Sunday.

He added that the fair was established to promote the publication of books, both old and new and to cultivate the reading habits of the Cambodian people.

The event will feature literature which promotes national cultural values, and many authors will make appearances to sign books and conduct lucky draws.

“We expect a lot of people to attend, and many schools – like Sovannphum – have committed to bringing their students to the fair,” she said.

The event will run at the same time as the Big Bad Wolf Book Fair, which is the largest book fair in the region, but Mischel said she was not concerned about the comparison.

“They opened their exhibition a long time ago, and we have a different focus. Our fair is all about promoting Khmer authors,” she explained.

On March 6, the Cambodia Book Fair commission will hold a press conference, which will be presided over by Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuon Naron, who will also address the event on National Reading Day.