On the central square of the exhibition center, a swarm of flags from the various nationalities present at the Salon flutters in the wind, in Damascus, on Feb. 11, 2026. (Credit: Merlin Ferret/Agence Encrage)
For decades under the Assad regime, the Damascus International Book Fair served as a showcase for ubiquitous political propaganda. The fair was dedicated to glorifying the regime, with censored books and banned publishers, and the prime international booths reserved for Russian or Iranian allies. Underground literature was confined to basements and opponents were imprisoned for publications deemed critical.This chapter is well and truly closed with this first post-Assad edition. "We can sell whatever we want, there’s no control over the books," assures the cashier at House of Communities, a local communist bookstore. There are limits, however: titles considered harmful to civil peace and Syrian values, or praising the former dictator, are prohibited. On the shelves, Islamic offerings are clearly dominant in all their variety —...
For decades under the Assad regime, the Damascus International Book Fair served as a showcase for ubiquitous political propaganda. The fair was dedicated to glorifying the regime, with censored books and banned publishers, and the prime international booths reserved for Russian or Iranian allies. Underground literature was confined to basements and opponents were imprisoned for publications deemed critical.This chapter is well and truly closed with this first post-Assad edition. "We can sell whatever we want, there’s no control over the books," assures the cashier at House of Communities, a local communist bookstore. There are limits, however: titles considered harmful to civil peace and Syrian values, or praising the former dictator, are prohibited. On the shelves, Islamic offerings are clearly dominant in all their variety...
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