Beirut: Book Capital of the World

The exhibit

B (brave) E (energetic) I (innovative) R (resilient) U (unyielding) and T (trendy).

With this logo, the University Libraries’ Information Services Department captured the lively spirit of Beirut in an exhibit that displayed books and images about the city.

The City of Beirut has been by UNESCO as the World Book Capital for 2009. According to the UNESCO Director, this took place “in the light of its focus on cultural diversity, dialogue and tolerance, and of its diverse and stimulating programs.” Beirut World Book Capital 2009 has three objectives. The first is to strengthen the book industry in Lebanon. The second objective is to promote reading, especially in schools and universities. And finally, the third is to support the aims of UNESCO in adopting and encouraging a diversified approach to culture.

The Information Services Department of the University Libraries at AUB decided to celebrate this in its own way.  An exhibition hosted by the Jafet Library was held from March 10 to March 31.  The exhibit not only celebrated Beirut as the World Book Capital of 2009 but its aim was to ‘capture the spirit of Beirut’ and the fact that Beirut has been recommended as the first city to be visited in 2009 by the New York Times.

It took about three weeks to go over approximately 300 photos of the many facets of Beirut. Those that capture the contrast and the beauty of the city were selected photos of Beirut’s banks, museums, theatres, airport, shopping centers, and resorts highlighted Beirut as a cosmopolitan city with many contrasts. Books about the city of Beirut from the Jafet library were also displayed. The organizers of the event emphasized (the fact that ‘there was a personal feel about the whole exhibit’, which lent an air of excitement to the celebration of the city they all love.