From amid the rubble and destruction that struck cultural bookstores, new life has emerged along “Freedom Street,” where book vendors have spread their books across the sidewalks, transforming the roadside into a haven of knowledge for intellectuals and researchers.
Under the scorching Khartoum sun stands Ahmed, the owner of a long-established bookstore destroyed by the war, beside his books displayed on the ground. Ahmed, who has spent more than 25 years in this profession, says: “Displaying books on the pavement was not an easy choice, but weak financial capacity and the high cost of building materials prevented us from restoring what the war destroyed. We chose the sidewalk so we could continue our mission and earn a living under these harsh conditions.”
The pain, however, is not limited to material loss alone. Ahmed speaks sorrowfully about the disappearance of rare references and priceless manuscripts. He adds: “The hardest thing we face is when customers ask for books and references that were burned or lost beneath the rubble. But their happiness at seeing us return — even on the sidewalk — gives us the strength to continue.”
Even major institutions were not spared from the machinery of war, most notably the Sudanese House of Books, regarded as a cultural landmark in the region. According to bookstore owners, their shops were not merely sales points, but repositories of memories and human heritage that suffered a devastating blow.
In an attempt to confront this reality, several initiatives have emerged, including youth-led efforts to organize small book fairs in safer areas, as well as government and state-level moves to support bookstore owners returning to their premises, restore what can be saved, and launch support projects aimed at reviving damaged publishing houses.
Despite the scale of destruction inflicted on the heart of the capital, book sellers in the “Arab Market” insist that returning to work was inevitable, as it remains their only profession and primary source of livelihood. As calm gradually returns, these booksellers continue to hold onto hope of rebuilding their bookstores so that Khartoum may once again become a city that reads, writes, and prints — defying the scars of war and destruction.
