Originally Posted on Feb. 28, 2022
Inside the sleek, high-ceilinged multipurpose center, people from all over the world looked at books on leadership, cooking running, education, calligraphy, politics, gardening—and any other topic that comes to mind.
At the Doha International Book Fair, I saw firsthand all the passions we share that transcend culture.
The books lay in organized stacks on tables, which were set up in rows across the room. Sorting through the piles of books was like searching for treasure at a yard sale.
The Arabic-printed books featured right-bound spines and text flowing from right to left. To an English reader, these books looked like they’d been flipped over. Inside the book, the lines of text resembled art—with swirls, loops, and dots.
Although the majority of the books were in Arabic, I found a few tables with English-printed titles. I even stumbled upon the USA-themed section of the fair.
Since 2010, a different country has been featured as the “guest of honor” at the Doha International Book Fair, according to dohabookfair.qa.
During the first ever book fair, the USA was the guest of honor. In proceeding fairs, Japan, Brazil, Iran, and other countries took the spotlight. In the 31st edition—the one I attended—the USA was selected again.
Rather than a single booth, the USA section had its own star-lit ceiling in a small, open-layout room inside the multipurpose center.
I felt at home surrounded by the red-white-and-blue neon lights and the American flag, which was only the second I’d seen in Qatar since my arrival in January 2021. I spotted the first American flag at the U.S. Embassy last fall.
Posted on the wall was a NASA sign, and stacked on shelves were books on English language learning, USA education opportunities, and American history.
As my friend from the UK and I continued exploring, I stopped to look through books on poetry, while he picked up architecture books.
We also paused to watch artists paint on large canvases. The artists were gathered together near the center of the fair.
Among the finished paintings on display, the painting of a box of Dunkin’ Donuts stood out with its vibrant colors of yellow, blue, and pink.
“I ate that smiley face donut a few months ago,” I thought to myself.
Of all the fair attractions, my favorite brought together Disney art and Arabic text.
“Did you make these yourself?” I asked a woman who stood behind the table of Disney cards and posters.
“Yes,” she said, smiling under her mask.
Aljazi Al-Henzab, a graphic designer, handed me her business card with “Jazzimba Designs” printed on the front.
“Your Disney cards are so fun and beautiful,” I said.
She translated some of the Arabic phrases on the cards, and we went on to talk about Disney movies.
She said one of her favorites is the live-action Cinderella.
“I watched that one two or three times in theatres,” I said as I reflected on the movie review I wrote while in college.
She also told me about her online portfolio, Instagram account, and essay written on the Egyptian dialect of Arabic.
Before leaving her booth, I bought Disney cards with designs from Finding Nemo, Pocahontas, Tarzan, The Lion King, and Peter Pan.
I also purchased a set of Winnie the Pooh stickers.
Seeing my childhood characters alongside Arabic text reminded me how relatable the world can be—that I was a small-town Oklahoma girl watching the same shows as girls in Doha, a city 1,970 times the size of my hometown, Bray.
When we look close enough, we are not that different.
