Sharjah Book Authority organises seminars at Cairo Book Fair

 in collaboration with Emirates Writers Union

The Sharjah Book Authority, in collaboration with the Emirates Writers Union, organised a literary seminar and a poetry session on the sidelines of its participation in the 47th edition of the Cairo International Book Fair.

The two seminars were organised as part of Cairo book fair's Cultural Programme with the participation of Emirati authors and poets, who were hosted by SBA. The seminars were held as part of the initiative launched by the Sharjah Book Authority during the 34th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair, SIBF, in collaboration with the Emirates Writers Union, to support Emirati writers and encourage them to compete on the global literary scene.

The first seminar, titled "Voices from the UAE" was held on the fair's second day with the participation of Emirati poets Kholoud Al Mualla and Abdullah Al Hadiya. Moderated by Egyptian media figure Mohammed Abduh, the seminar featured an overview of the reality of the Emirati poetry.

Poet Kholoud Al Mualla read a selection of poems from her poetry collection "Hold the Light", "Gleam" that characterized by simplicity and depth of thought. Among poems that were read are "Trot",  "One Colour", "Silence", Absence of Mind", Swelter", Necessity", "Sweet Fall", and "Clamor" in which Kholoud talked about the night, dreams, loneliness and isolation.

Poet Abdullah Al Hadiya read a collection of classical and traditional and folk poems that were highly admired by the Egyptian audiences. He started his participation with a love poem dedicated to Egypt, and his poems spanned nationalism, patriotism, and love. He read different poems, including "They Corrupted Salt", "They Lost Me, and "Diamond of Lovers", among others. Al Hadiya concluded the poetry evening with short Nabati poetic verses amid an impressive interaction by the audience for his sense and national spirit.

The second session titled "Narrative Experiences from UAE" featured Emirati writer and novelist lulwa Al Mansouri, and Emirati writer Saliha Obeid. The seminar, held on the book fair's third day, was moderated by Egyptian media expert Dina Kandel.

The seminar highlighted women's experience in the Emirati literature, during which selections were read from the literary works of both writers, which are characterized by depth and intensified and concentrated events. The readings dealt with human psyche and its complexity as well as discussions of modern issues from women's perspective. The evening saw a huge turnout of the Egyptian public and media.

On the sidelines of its participation in the Cairo International Book Fair, the Sharjah Book Authority organised a gala dinner for a group of Egyptian and Arab publishers, as well as editors-in-chief and managing editors of Egyptian newspapers with an aim to maintain contact with various professionals in the book industry and strengthen ties of cooperation and joint work with them.

The gala dinner and reception was attended by HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of SBA, Dr Haitham El Hajj, Chairman of the General Book Authority, and a number of publishers and media figures.

HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri said: "In line with the vision of Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the emirate of Sharjah strives to highlight the Emirati literature and introduce the literary creative works of Emirati intellectuals and writers to the entire world, and support creative Emirati writers in all cultural events and forums. This is why we, in collaboration with the Emirates Writers Union, invited a number of Emirati authors and poets to participate in Cairo International Book Fair, to introduce the Egyptian audience with their counterparts, thereby contribute to share expertise and gain skills."    

The SBA stand at the Cairo book fair, which will continue until February 10, received an impressive turnout by Egyptian, Arab and international cultural and intellectual elites and media figures who acquainted themselves with SBA's initiatives and projects, specifically the Sharjah International Book Fair, the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival and the SIBF Translation Grant Fund.

Established in 2014, Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) is dedicated to encouraging investment in creative industries and offering a platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people from different countries and cultures. It is also entrusted with emphasizing the significant role of writers and their influence in spreading awareness of technological advancement and the availability of various sources of knowledge. SBA also aims to attract relevant bodies and figures operating in the cultural sector in general, and the publishing, printing, translation, documentation and children’s books in particular.