Sharjah International Book Fair Unveils Cultural Programme

More than 130 events to take place over 11 days

The Management of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) has unveiled a wide range of 130 events as part of the 11-day Cultural Programme, which will run alongside the 31st edition of SIBF 2012, being held at Expo Centre Sharjah from 7-17 November.

Organized by various government and private bodies, the Cultural Porgramme will include literary, intellectual, art, and cultural events with the participation of renowned international, Arab, and local figures.

Taking take place at locations across the Expo Centre, including the main celebrations Ballroom, the Book Forum, the Literature Forum, and the Culture Hall, the events are being organized by the Department of Culture and Information, the Arab Children’s Book Publishers Forum, the Emirates Publishers Association, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, Dubai Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department, the Prince Abdul Mohsin bin Jalawi Centre for Islamic Research and Studies, and the UAE Board on Books for the Young People, in cooperation with Goethe Institute and Al Furqan House-London.

Speaking on the occasion, Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Amri, SIBF Director, said, “In line with the directives and visions of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the Sharjah International Book Fair aims to extend bridges of cultural communication with the rest of the world, bring all world cultures closer and creating a consensus for the love of the written word.”

He added that the book fair aims to project the civilized image of the UAE and its distinctive and rich heritage, culture, and civilization to the outside world – a fact that proves that the Emirates is highly qualified and worthy of being at the center of the world’s attention due to the development and modernizations imposed by the conditions of change on the world stage.

Al Amri said “SIBF’s management has been keen in collaborating with its strategic partners from various effective cultural bodies in the country to organise a very special cultural program, rich in ideas and various debates supported by the presence of a diverse number of prominent literary, intellectual, and artistic figures.

The Cultural Program includes a spectrum of events, amongst which is the presentation of 8 awards during the opening ceremony. These awards include the Cultural Personality of the Year, which will be given this year to Emirati writer and poet Habib Al Sayegh, the Sharjah awards for the best Emirati publishing houses and UAE book, the best printed book Arabic and foreign book, as well as the best two books dedicated to children and economy.

The winner of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature will also be honoured during the opening ceremony of SIBF 2012. The awards ceremonies are being organized by the Department of Culture and Information at the main celebration Ballroom.

Events will also include a press conference by the members of the judging panel of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature, organized by the UAE Board on Books for Young People. They will speak about context surrounding the Award and its development, the increase in both number and quality of entries during the latest edition, as well the selection of the winning book as per the criteria approved by the Award.

Poetry and cultural evenings, panel discussions, seminars, lectures, musical evenings, and book readings, as well as political, literary, philosophic, intellectual, historical, cinematic, art, and Islamic related events are all set to be held alongside the major book fair event.

A panel discussion titled ‘Cultural Journalism and its place in the political world’ will be held as part of cultural events, organized by the Department of Culture and Information. A number of specialists will talk about the promoting the role of the cultural journalism in the modern media.

The scheduled events also include a symposium titled ‘Imam Mohammad Abdo and The Revival of Islamic Intellectualism’, being organized by the Department of Culture and Information. Moderated by Dr Hamad Bin Sarrai, the discussion will highlight the role of Mohammad Abdo in the development of Islamic thought and his controversial call for the renewal of Islamic law.

A seminar titled ‘The Future of Writing in a Digital Age’, organized by the Department of Culture and Information, and another symposium titled ‘Translating Literature: Reality and Challenges’, organized by the Emirates Publishers Association, will also be held as part of the Cultural Programme.

Organized by the Department of Culture and Information, a seminar titled ‘The Arab Spring and its Impact on Cinema’, will discuss the challenges facing the Egyptian Cinema after the Arab Spring. And in a lecture titled ‘Cultural Diversity in the UAE’, organized by the Department of Culture and Information will also be given as part of cultural events that run alongside the premier Book Fair.

A book signing by authors, poets, intellectuals, and journalists will also take place as part of the book fair’s rich programme.

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