Puntland Book Fair2025
Theme:Security, Peacebuilding and State Building in Somalia
The Puntland Book Fair 2025 Report
A full account of the fourth Puntland Book Fair: the speeches, four panel discussions, three book sessions, the fireside chat, arts in Garowe Square and the ideas shared on security, peacebuilding and state building in Somalia.
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Books, ideas and public dialogue
The Puntland Book Fair is an annual event dedicated to celebrating books, ideas, knowledge, and public discussion. It brings together book lovers, readers, intellectuals, authors, scholars, policymakers, and dignitaries.
Keynote and guest speeches sit alongside panel discussions, book presentations, book launches, and cultural activities. Together they promote reading and writing while giving the public a platform to discuss the issues that affect Somali society.
Each year the Book Fair hosts dozens of notable guests from across Somalia and beyond, and hundreds of participants. It is a youth-led initiative, organized for four consecutive years.
Facts!
In Somalia, 43.9% of adults were literate according to the latest available UNESCO data (2022).
UNESCO Institute for Statistics / World BankPuntland's Ministry of Education and Higher Education identifies improving basic literacy and learning outcomes as key priorities, alongside teacher development, curriculum and learning environments.
Security, Peacebuilding and State Building in Somalia
While books and authors stayed at the heart of the fair, this edition gave its central focus to Somalia's journey toward security, peace and state building: recognizing progress, examining persistent challenges and considering pathways to a more stable, resilient Somalia.
Counterterrorism
Aligning government leadership and community ownership, drawing on the Hillaac Operation.
Local government
Frontline institutions for peacebuilding, state building and development.
Education
Building peaceful and resilient societies through learning, research and curriculum.
Youth & women
Their role as actors in peacebuilding and state building, not only as people affected.
The programme
More than a gathering of book lovers
The President described the Book Fair as a forum for serious deliberation, and called for a stronger culture of translating seminal works into Somali.
He commended the organizers for sustaining the fair for four years, praised the sacrifices of the Puntland Defense Forces in the Almiskad Operation, and highlighted the achievements of the Somali diaspora.
Puntland Education Award
Presented by the President to Mr. Mohamud Sh. Hamid Mohamed, Vice Chancellor of Puntland State University, for excellence in education and contribution to knowledge production and dissemination. A new annual award.
Speakers & guests
Ministers, scholars, authors, poets, peacebuilders and partners. Select a speaker to read what they said.
Books presented at the fair
Somali authors, poets and translators shared their work across three book sessions, a fireside chat and the stage. Pick a spine to see who wrote it.
Six authors and a translator
Moderated by Mohamud Tallman
From student guides to poetry
Moderated by Najmo Garaase
Three women authors
Moderated by Deko Ahmed Ismail
With author Abdi Said Ismail
The conversation centred on his latest book, Gumeystow Lagu La Dood, a Somali translation and commentary on Aimé Césaire's Discourse on Colonialism. It explored colonialism's legacy, the value of translating classic works into Somali, and a culture of reading, writing and critical thinking.
Peace painted on Garowe Square
Local artist 4C used graffiti and live painting to turn a public wall into murals of peace, unity, coexistence and hope, drawing in passers-by and connecting art, community and peacebuilding.
Mohamed Husein Lafoole sings “Nabadeey”
The renowned Somali singer closed the formal programme with some of his popular songs, including his masterpiece Nabadeey (“Oh peace”), linking the fair's focus on peace to Somali music and art.
What the 2025 fair showed
Gains must be consolidated
Counterterrorism discussions kept moving beyond military operations to political will, public confidence, stabilization, infrastructure, education and jobs.
Communities and local leaders
The Galkayo peace process and the local government panel showed the value of institutions close to citizens and grassroots leadership.
Read, write, translate, research
Authors, poets, researchers and officials shared one stage, where literary and public-policy conversations met.
Moments from #PBF2025
Select any photo to view it larger. Use the arrow keys to move through the gallery.
Made possible together
Thank you to everyone who supported the fourth Puntland Book Fair.
To every reader, author and volunteer
Our sincere gratitude goes to the partners and sponsors, to participants who travelled from across Somalia and beyond, and to the speakers, panelists, authors, moderators, performers, institutions, civil society, private sector and media.
Special appreciation goes to the youth who volunteered their time and energy: organizing, welcoming guests, supporting sessions and keeping the forum running smoothly. Certificates of recognition were presented to organizers, sponsors and volunteers on the final day.
