Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) Promotes Emirati and Arab culture in North America's Largest Book Event

on Sep 08, 2022

The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has completed its participation in the 2022 National Book Festival of the United States Library of Congress, continuing its objective to expand the presence of Emirati and Arab culture on important worldwide platforms.

The festival, one of the largest book-themed events in North America, was conducted under the theme "Books bring us together" and included 90 notable American writers.

At the festival, SBA painted a vivid picture of current trends in the literary and publishing landscapes in the UAE and the wider Arab world for a diversified global audience.

SBA, one of the festival's sponsors, welcomed American authors and publishers to the upcoming Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) to explore business and collaboration opportunities with local and regional market players. SIBF was named the largest publishing event of 2021 for attracting the greatest number of publishers and agents with business interests.

SBA emphasized the unique new potential emerging in the Emirati and Arab publishing industries, as well as providing real-time information on cultural and creative trends in the Arab area. These include promising opportunities in translation and composition, among other things.

The Authority also emphasized the numerous efforts it has launched to effectively boost the creative output of the local and regional publishing industries, as well as to popularise a love of books and reading in the community.

On the sidelines of the event, Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of SBA, met with Dr. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, and presented Arabic and English copies of The Biography of the Sultans of Kilwa, the latest work of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

"SBA maintains its efforts on both the local and international levels, guided by the Sharjah Ruler's vision, in which we think that the presence of Arab culture across the world is a manifestation of its power and effect on mankind.

With this conviction, we actively seek participation in significant worldwide cultural exhibitions and events. Sharjah is responsible for sustaining and expanding the Arab book industry both locally and globally; at the same time, the emirate serves as a link between Arab culture and its equivalents throughout the world "According to Al Ameri.

"We consider culture, as is widely known, not only as a space for creation, introspection, and knowledge generation but also as a reflection of our rich identity and a bridge between us and other nations and cultures. As a result, per Sharjah Ruler's instruction, SBA is accountable for encouraging cross-cultural conversation, as seen by our participation and debates at the 2022 National Book Festival "He said.

Dr. Hayden, on her part, praised Sharjah's attempts to bridge the gap between Arab and global cultures. She also mentioned that the emirate has become a leading destination in the United States for cultural institutions, events, and activities devoted to learning about or cooperating with Arab culture.