The 11th edition of Paperworld Middle East and 2nd edition of Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East concluded today after a successful three-day show at Dubai World Trade Centre, collectively hosting more than 316 exhibitors from 40 countries, a 68 per cent increase on last year.

The Middle East and Africa’s dedicated dual trade fair for paper, stationery, office supplies, and gifts, accents, and lifestyle products has seen tremendous support from exhibitors and visitors from all over the globe.

“This is our first time exhibiting at this show,” said Murat Mekikci, Regional Sales Director at Chinese firm, Huahong Holding Group. “We initiate new catalogues every month, and everything we have on display today is part of a new launch of frames and wall art.

“Our goal is to gain new customers from Paperworld Middle East and Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East as no one is able to travel to China post the pandemic. That is why we are here exhibiting our products and our hope to build new relationships and find new partners.”

Following yesterday’s Artistry Workshop, which was conducted by Shiba Khan and focused on the foundation of art, today’s segment began with a session hosted by Shazia Jeffery on Non-Traditional Arabic Calligraphy, using words to create patterns and designs by writing them repeatedly in circular form. “This assignment requires a great deal of time, concentration, and writing accuracy,” said Jeffery. “People must choose a word to write and then develop a style that will work when they frequently write that word.

“I am a poet and fiction writer, and I’ve had a relationship with pen and paper before. I was writing words from the Quran repeatedly and found myself at peace which is why I have created art out of it.”

The Artistry Workshop also saw a seminar held by Mrinmay C Sebastian on Tempra paint and a Blind Painting Session presented by Atul Panasea.

Paperworld and Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East meanwhile hosted nine country pavilions, including Germany, Turkiye, the United Kingdom, and China.

“I’ve flown in from Saudi Arabia to meet all the exhibiting companies at both shows for potential business opportunities,” said Chantelle Dsouza, a buyer for multiple businesses in the Kingdom. “Over the past three days, I’ve seen an impressive range of unique, high-quality products. The Middle East is a growing marketplace and both platforms have great synergy between them, which ultimately are beneficial for traders, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and visitors alike.”

Syed Ali Akbar, Show Director for Paperworld Middle East and Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East, added: “We have received incredible feedback from our exhibitors and visitors this year. The significant increase in exhibitors means a lot more choices for our industry visitors under one roof, and some initial conversations and potential leads coming out of the show floor are promising.

“We have also seen increased engagement across all our show features this year, with The Hub Forum revealing some exciting takeaways on how the next year or so will look with increased adoption of technology and trade coming back to pre-pandemic levels. Watch this space for 2023 as we look to increase our peripheral activations and features across both shows.”

Paperworld Middle East and Gifts & Lifestyle Middle East 2022 were sponsored by Ittihad Paper Mill, GiGis, Luxor, and Linc. The co-located events will be returning to the Dubai World Trade Centre from 21 to 23 November 2023.