The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, represented by its Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre,is participating in the 52nd edition of the Cairo International Book Fair (CIBF) to promote UAE literature and culture across the region.
Taking place at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre in Cairo from30 June to 15 July, 2021, the book fair is one of the biggest and most prestigious of its kind in the Arab world.
This participation is part of the Arabic Language Centre’s commitment to local, regional and international literary and cultural dialogue, as well as a means of generating numerous collaboration opportunities across the publishing sector.
The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre(ALC) will have two pavilions at CIBF, with one dedicated to book sales and engagement with readers, and the other hosting book signings and cultural programmes.
“We are delighted to take part in the 52nd edition of the Cairo International Book Fair, one of the largest and most prestigious book fairs in the region and the world, especially as Cairo has a such prominent role in the region’s literature scene and is a beacon of culture and knowledge,” said HE Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC.
“This opportunity complements the efforts we initiated at the recent Abu Dhabi International Book Fair allowing us to communicate with and support publishers, as well as to work with our partners to explore innovative solutions to advance the publishing sector across the Arab world.”
Mouza Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of ALC and Director of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, said: “Our participation in the Cairo International Book Fair right after the conclusion of the 30th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair showcases the return of the cultural and literary movements in our region.
“The presence of such events is crucial for our industry development as it creates the right platform for partners to build new partnerships, interact, and take tactical steps to support the recovery of the publishing sector after the pandemic.”
As part of the ‘Atheer Al Kutub’ and “Wajeez Al Kutub” initiative, the ALC pavilion will feature a selection of audiobooks of prominent works, which can be accessed in the dedicated section of the pavilion by scanning the QR code on a Smartphone. The initiative, which was announced during the recent Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, aims to preserve literary memory by utilising state-of-the-art technology and digital transformation.
ALC’s participation will also include virtual cultural events featuring discussions about the latest books published by the Kalima and Esdarat projects, which will broadcast on the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair and the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre’s social media platforms.
The first session on Wednesday, 30 July will cover one of Kalima’s published books ‘Celebio in the Garden of the Roses’, featuring a discussion between the book’s translator Ahmed Magdy and Prof. Osama Al Zoghbi.
The second session on Thursday,1 July will be about ‘Empowering Women in the United Arab Emirates’, published by Esdarat. Here, the book’s author Dr. Azza Jalal Hashem, will be joined by Hana Obeid, President of ‘Democracy’ magazine, with the discussion being moderated by Asmaa Siddiq, President of the Literary Forum Salon.
On Friday, 2 July, a session will be held to examine ‘The Road to Soft Power: The United Arab Emirates and Africa – Towards Collaborative Partnerships’. The discussions will feature Dr Hamdi Abdel Rahman Hassan, Dr Hala Thabet, and Dr Rawya Tawfiq, moderated by Raafat Al-Swerki.
The last session on Saturday, July 3 will be dedicated to the Al Owais Prize-winning novel ‘Tanweer al-Maa’, published by Esdarat, which will feature the book’s author Lulwa Al Mansoori, and moderator Zeinhom Al Badawi.
Both Kalima and Esdarat will showcase more than 500 titles, including 27 new titles. The most prominent Esdarat project books on display include Human: That Imaginary Object by Ali Abu Al Rish, and The Invasion: Corona, What Happened, and What Does the Future Look Like? by Dr Omar Al Hammadi. Additionally, five children’s books will be on display, all written by Dr Fatima Hamad Al Mazrouei, and translated from Arabic into English, including Ahmed’s Bike, Reem’s Duck, Hind Lost Her Stories, The Monkey and the Last Beast in the World, and The Adventures of the Little Monkey.
The Kalima translation project will showcase some of its most notable titles, such as Ephemeral Vistas: The Expositions Universelles by Paul Greenhalgh, A Journey in Hadhramaut by Adolf Von Friede, A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe, and the two novels Child Story by Peter Handke, and Late Fame by Arthur Schnitzler.
