The Üsküdar District Governorship Book Fair hosted thousands of book lovers over nine days.

The "1st Üsküdar District Governorship Book Fair", organized within the scope of the "I Read, Istanbul Reads" project carried out by the Üsküdar District Governorship and the Istanbul Governorship, hosted its guests for 9 days.

The fair, which brought together nearly 400 writers and readers, along with Türkiye's leading publishing houses, also hosted many events such as book signings, talks, and photography competitions.

Üsküdar District National Education Directorate Branch Manager Örsan Özkan told an AA correspondent that the fair was organized as part of the "I Read, Istanbul Reads" project under the auspices of the Istanbul Governorship.

Özkan stated that the project encourages everyone to turn off their television, tablets, and screens and read a book between 9:00 PM and 9:30 PM every evening.

This is the first time a book fair has been organized within a district governor's office around this theme. The Üsküdar District Governor's Office Book Fair, with approximately 100 publishing houses and 400 authors, breathed new life into Üsküdar's cultural and artistic life. Approximately 350,000-400,000 people visited. Our students, teachers, and the public showed great interest. Dozens of talks and book signings were held. This fair added a delightful touch to Üsküdar.

Özkan emphasized that Üsküdar has a deep-rooted tradition stretching back to the Ottoman era, saying, "During the Ottoman Empire, Üsküdar had a distinct mission. It was considered a city of science, wisdom, and culture. By continuing that tradition today, making it easier for people to access books, and by doing so in a location where they can meet the authors they want to see, we have met their needs and demands."

Özkan stated that Üsküdar's location at the intersection of many means of transportation is also important, and that plans are underway to make the fair a tradition.

Poet and writer Ali Ural said, "The Üsküdar District Governor's Office has done a tremendous job. The fair is very successful, both in terms of its location and organization. Indeed, this success is reflected in reader interest. In other words, fairs become a cultural blend where readers and writers come together. We deeply feel the joy of this blend here."

Ural, who stated that he gave a speech examining "The Role of Tanzimat Literature in Cultural Transformation" in his talk at the fair, said, "There was a large crowd, and I had the opportunity to share my views on this occasion. My readers welcomed this cultural feast with excitement."

Ural, who signed copies of his 200th edition of "The Harmonica in the Mailbox" for his readers at the Şule Publications booth, said, "I have readers of all ages. Frankly, there's a great deal of interest in my books. My readers came to the booth specifically to buy the 200th edition of 'The Harmonica in the Mailbox,' and of course, my other books are also attracting great interest, which I'm very pleased about."

Author Dr. Müjdat Uluçam said that he was the doctoral thesis advisor of Prof. Dr. Raşit Küçük, who passed away in 2022, and that he attended a book signing for the first time with his book "An Exemplary Human Being Raşit Küçük" in which he wrote about his life.

Uluçam, noting that he was trying to fulfill his duty of loyalty to his teacher with the book, said, "Raşit Küçük was one of the most distinguished figures in our recent history. He was a versatile person, both a hadith professor and an intellectual. Since his student years, he published numerous journals and founded reading groups. We also joined his reading groups during our student years. I believe I have fulfilled my duty of loyalty to my teacher. We owed him a debt, and I hope we have fulfilled it."

Uluçam also commented on the fair, saying, "The book fair was excellent. We thank the district governor's office; they filled a significant gap. It was a fair worthy of Üsküdar, and I hope it continues."

Author Yusuf Asal stated that he worked as a classroom teacher in Istanbul for many years, continued his career in Ankara, and that he has been writing since 1995 and has more than two hundred books.

Asal, emphasizing his pleasure at coming to the fair in Üsküdar, said, "Crazy Inventors is one of our most beloved books in the science sense. The Swallowing Element and The Gıcıkgiller Apartment are among our most beloved books on personal development. Generations are born from children. We held a wonderful signing in Çorum yesterday, and today we rushed to Üsküdar."

Asal said, "A magnificent fair system was established at the Bağlarbaşı Cultural Center over a long period. Readers had become accustomed to it very well. Last year's fair was very inefficient, as we hear from all our publisher friends. This year's book fair resembles the old fairs in Üsküdar. It was a very good, productive, and well-informed decision. I thank everyone who contributed."