08.00-10.00: Opening session: 10th Years of Hargeysa International Book Fair
Opening remarks (9.00-10.15)
HE Veronique Lorenzo, Ambassador of the EU
HE Mr David Concar, Ambassador of the UK
Ayan Mohamoud, Somaliland Representative for the UK
Panel hosted by Dr. Edna Adan Ismail, Patron of the Hargeysa International Book Fair

Official opening: Dr. Saad Ali Shire, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Morning hosted by Rage Omar, renowned Journalists (?) – did they look too many?

10.30- 12.00: Panel on Connectivity – the theme of the year
The panel on the theme of the year will be opened with a plenary speech by professor Ali Jimale Ahmed followed by a discussion on the theme with youth representatives. Mona Kosar (media connects), Nadifa Mohamed (fiction writing connects), Sharmarke Geelle (job connects) and Ismail Ubaxle (writing mother tongue connects).

Prof Ali Jimale Ahmed, Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Prof Jimale is the chair of Comparative Literature at Queens College, and teaches courses in African, Middle Eastern, and European literature. His books include The Invention of Somalia (Red Sea Press, 1995), Daybreak Is Near: Literature, Clans, and the Nation-State in Somalia (Red Sea Press, 1996), Fear Is a Cow (Red Sea Press, 2002), and When Donkeys Give Birth to Calves: Totems, Wars, Horizons, Diasporas (Red Sea Press, 2012) and he was one of the first scholars to challenge and deconstruct the politicised narratives around Somali identity and culture and homogeneity.

Mona Kosar: short bio
Nadifa Mohamed: short bio
Sharmarke Geelle: short bio (?)
Ismail Ubaxle: short bio

Honouring Hadraawi (Hadrawi in 5 Minutes: short clip and applause)

16.00-18.00: Children’s Program with book launches

19.00-21.00: “Sooyaal: classics” poetry evening – the Somali poetry reading by older generation of Somali poets – Somali language. Venue: Hargeysa Cultural Centre

Hargeysa International Book Fair has its own event dedicated to the classic poetry where older generation of literary men and women shared their history experience and poetry with the young generation. The 10th Anniversary celebrates with the newly-born institution of Somaliland Council of Poets “Musdanbeed”. Mohamed Adan Da’ar, Mohamoud Mahamed Dheeg, Maxamed Xasan Cali “Weji”, Muuse Cali Faruur, Cumar Xasan Rooraaye, Bashir Xaddi, Maxamed Cismaan “Dheere”, Aadan Tarabbi, Xasan Xaaji Cabdillaahi “Ganey” and many more will entertain the public with lyrics, oral poetry reading, theatrical text and unwritten insights of history of the Somali literature.
Chaired by Abdalla Hagi, Djiboutian archivist and Radio presenter.