Founded in 2007, the Hargeysa International Book Fair will mark it’s tenth anniversary this year. This year's theme is connectivity, and the fair will host a delegation of renowned authors, poets, artists and academics from across Africa, including Djibouti, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Ghana. The guest country this year is South Africa. Guests are also expected from the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, France, Italy and Syria.

The book fair provides a platform for discussion on social and political reconstruction through arts, literature and culture. The festival is a space for young and aspiring artists to interact, share knowledge and learn from celebrated figures in the field of arts, literature and music, and to showcase their work.

To celebrate its tenth Anniversary, the 2017 Hargeysa Book Fair will be held from 22 to 27 July 2017 in 10 different venues in Hargeysa including Hargeysa Cultural Centre, Gulaid Hotel, University of Hargeysa, Edna Adan University, Hidda Dhowr Somaliland Tourism Village, Saryan Museum, Somaliland National Library and many more.

On 25 July 2017, the Rift Valley Institute, in coordination with its partners, Hargeysa University and Puntland State University, hosted two forums.



Research in Somali Language: towards the Somali Studies International Association Congress in 2018

Tuesday, 25 July 2017 - 8.30-10.30

A panel of specialists presented the latest work in Somali language and linguistics looking at all areas of the field: descriptive and theoretical linguistics; computational linguistics; and literary linguistics. The presentations also looked to what can be expected in the language-focused events at the SSIA conference in 2018. Scholars attending included Dr. Martin Orwin (SOAS), Dr. Morgan Nilsson (Gothenburg University), Professor Mohamed H Rabi (Independent scholar), Tirsit Yetbarek (University of Addis Ababa), Abdirahman Barwaqo (University of Hargeysa), Mohamud Mohamed Abidllahi (University of Jigjiga, TBC) and Dr. Abiraschid Ismail (University of Djibouti), chaired by Sied Muhumed Jibril (Vice President for Academic and Research, UoH).



Somali Research and Development: challenges and opportunities

Tuesday, 25 July 2017 - 11.00-13.00

Nasir Ali (Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Hargeisa), Dr. Abdalla Duh (Puntland State University) and Dr. Hibo Assowe are leading their respective institutions in research capacity building projects. Several Horn of Africa institutes are aiming to produce research that shapes policy and social development, including the Rift Valley Institute which has partnered with Hargeysa University and Puntland State University to support Somali researchers to undertake research that is generated by Somalis for Somalis. Duh and Ali presented on the challenges and achievements of Somali researchers and shared their most recent work on current issues such as the drought response and accountability of governments to their citizens.