Co-located events are 50% larger than last year and now fully sold out
Over 10,000 visitors are expected to attend from around the world
The inaugural Paperworld Middle East Awards will be held this year, recognising outstanding products in the industry
Dubai, UAE: Paperworld Middle East and Gifts and Lifestyle Middle East will return tomorrow for their largest-ever edition. Taking place from 21-23 November at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the co-located events are expected to attract over 10,000 visitors from more than 100 visiting countries.
Organised by Messe Frankfurt, Paperworld Middle East and Gifts and Lifestyle Middle East will host over 490 exhibitors across four halls. Both events have grown by 50% from last year, following record attendance numbers in 2022.
“Paperworld Middle East and Gifts and Lifestyle Middle East offer a gateway to the Middle East and Africa markets and as a result, we are seeing a growing international presence every year. There is a perfect synergy across the two events, which is one of the major factors contributing to the year-on-year growth of the shows,” said Syed Ali Akbar, Show Director for Paperworld Middle East and Gifts and Lifestyle Middle East.
Paperworld Middle East is the largest international trade event for paper, stationery, arts and crafts, office supplies, and school products. Now in its 12th edition, the show provides a platform for the global paper trade in the region. Paperworld Middle East will feature country pavilions from India, Germany, China, Hong Kong, Turkey, and Jordan. Additionally, 80% of the products exhibited at the event are sustainable.
Part of the Ambiente portfolio, Gifts and Lifestyle Middle East complements the profile of Paperworld Middle East with four product categories which include gifting, leather finished goods, lifestyle and baby and kids products. Exhibitors from 20 countries will showcase a wide variety of gifting items during this year’s edition.
The inaugural Paperworld Middle East Awards will take place on the first day of the event, celebrating excellence and innovation in the stationery, office supplies and paper product industry. The prestigious ceremony will present ten categories including ‘Stationery Product of the Year’, ‘Best Eco-friendly Product of the Year’ and the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’.
The panel of judges for the Paperworld Middle East awards is highly regarded and includes İrem Özkal, General Secretary of Tukid; international author and journalist, Purva Grover; Reesha Coutinho, Owner of Pret a Papier; Shiba Khan, Owner of Funun Arts; and Volker Jungeblut, Owner of Volker.
Knowledge sharing platform the Hub Forum will return for another year, providing the latest updates from an ever-evolving industry and connecting experts, thought leaders and key players in the paper, stationery, office supply and gift sectors. Held on the first two days of Paperworld Middle East and Gifts and Lifestyle Middle East, the Hub Forum will offer a full programme of impactful sessions, discussing the E-commerce, digital and sustainable trends shaping the industry’s future.
The Hub Forum will open with a keynote address, that will delve into Dubai’s prominent position as a leading global trade hub. Other sessions on opening day will explore ‘Understanding Middle Eastern Demand for Paper and Stationery’ and ‘Green Initiatives in the Paper and Stationery Industry’. On day two, there will be insightful discussions around the gifting culture in the Middle East as well as an outlook on the trends that are shaping the paper and stationery industry.
The highly popular Artistry Workshops will return to Paperworld Middle East, welcoming artists, art school faculty and enthusiasts to explore a diverse range of creative skills. Sessions will be hosted by esteemed artists, gallery owners, teachers, branding specialists and university professors on a range of artistic disciplines from digital art and art therapy to abstraction.
On the opening day of Paperworld Middle East, the show’s new “Signature Canvas” feature will see three well-known artists working together to create a distinctive piece of art that will then be donated to a local charity in Dubai.
Paperworld Middle East and Gifts and Lifestyle Middle East will be held in Halls 5, 6, 7 and 8 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
About Paperworld Middle East
Paperworld Middle East brings together world-renowned brands, regional players, and promising innovators for an exciting three-day showcase featuring products ranging from office and school supplies to festive decorations and brandable merchandise. The next edition of the show takes place from 21 – 23 November 2023 at Dubai World Trade Centre, co-located with Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East.
The Messe Frankfurt Group is one of the world’s leading trade fair, congress and event organisers with their own exhibition grounds. With a workforce of some 2,160 people at its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and in 28 subsidiaries, it organises events around the world. Group sales in financial year 2022 were around €454 million. We serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of Messe Frankfurt’s key strengths is its powerful and closely knit global sales network, which covers around 180 countries in all regions of the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. We are using our digital expertise to develop new business models. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Sustainability is a central pillar of our corporate strategy. Here, we strike a healthy balance between ecological and economic interests, social responsibility and diversity.
With its headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
About Messe Frankfurt Middle East
Messe Frankfurt Middle East’s portfolio of exhibitions includes: Automechanika Dubai, Automechanika Riyadh, Beautyworld Middle East, Beautyworld Saudi Arabia, Intersec, Intersec Saudi Arabia, Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East, Light + Intelligent Building Middle East and Paperworld Middle East. In the 2022/23 event season, Messe Frankfurt Middle East exhibitions combined featured 3,939 exhibitors from 66 countries and attracted 151,990 visitors from 116 countries.
