DAMASCUS, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing International Book Fair in Damascus has reopened a vital channel for new books, reconnecting Syrian readers with global culture after years of war and isolation, Arab publishers said.
Baydar Abu Hashish, representative of Jordan's Fadaat Publishing and Distribution, told Xinhua that the years of conflict cut Syrian readers off from new works. The fair, he said, is a crucial opportunity to reconnect this established readership with contemporary ideas.
