Sultan Al Qasimi: Sharjah will continue its cultural journey

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, said that the title of Sharjah as the World Capital of the Book was not the ultimate goal of Sharjah to stand with him, and will continue its cultural journey until the Arab and Islamic nation regains the place befitting its history, heritage and achievements that have filled the world with light and knowledge.

During the opening ceremony of the 38th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair yesterday morning, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Salim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, His Highness pointed out that culture was impatient and the journey of culture was not just an option, but the only way to reach the goal Desired.

The exhibition kicked off at the Expo Center Sharjah, under the slogan: "Open a book, open minds", which lasts 11 days, in the presence of a large crowd of Arab and international creators and publishers.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah started his speech by saying: “Welcome to the United Arab Emirates, and in Sharjah, we are pleased to host you every year in this place dear to the heart of everyone in us. Welcome to the welcoming knowledge and presence of the book and the history and civilizations that came between the pages of the book. "We welcome Mexico as the guest of honor for the Sharjah International Book Fair for this session."

He added: “40 years ago, Sharjah was not as you see it now, and no one expected to build all these cultural achievements, but we knew that we continued to this place thanks to God, and thanks to the clarity of vision and insistence on its implementation, culture built patience as I learned Personally, despite the patience that the cultural journey needs, it was not just an option, but the only way to reach our goals, we wanted a stable and sophisticated society in its ethics and relations, and a sustainable and conscious economy for its purposes, and the knowledge by which we build our renaissance, and all this can only be achieved. With knowledge, science and writers. ”

World title

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah continued: `` Here we are today in 2019, where (UNESCO) has chosen Sharjah as the World Book Capital, a place that comes only due to the effort, planning and watchfulness, has developed (UNESCO) and with international institutions, long-standing: the International Federation of Publishers, The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, precise criteria for selecting the World Book Capital, these criteria have been met by Sharjah during its long journey, and are embodied in every scene in the Emirate, in the library of every home, the culture of every child, youth and youth, in the ethics of institutions and plans for the future, and in the aspirations of generations and stability Society and raised and progress, and in the size of a To various cultural events throughout the year and the extent to which citizens and residents wrap around and demand, and even the extent of its commitment to its regional depth and human values ​​».

His Highness continued: «One criterion was talking about freedom of publication and expression, and it is customary to believe that our region lacks these values, but the fact that culture needs freedom to grow, it is like a plant if placed in a small container or mold that must die or maim. However, we have given it its space and opened its horizons for the future.In contrast, in order not to exploit the culture to harm society, we have raised responsibility in every breath, we have strengthened the individual belonging to the group, we have won the public interest over narrow interests, and we have been keen to encourage our own cultural experience associated with our roots and heritage. Pain Community and supportive of development and progress. »

Dignity Project

He continued: «Lord who asks what else, where to go Sharjah, and we answer, and the title was not our final goal until we stop at him, and we will continue our cultural journey until we regain to our nation the status befitting its history and heritage and achievements that filled the world light and knowledge. Culture is a project of solid dignity, manifested in the nation's self-confidence and its ability to contribute to a future that protects it from ignorance and confusion in the darkness.

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi pointed out that confident nations reinforced by science cannot be compromised, while ignorance degrades the status of powerful nations, even if they possess all the equipment and mechanisms of the universe, adding: “For many years, we are still working on our cultural project in the Arab world, where Poetry houses spread throughout the Arab world, and the Sharjah Narrative Forum - the story and the novel - the Arab creativity of youth, theater and festivals in every Arab country, and I felt through that tender that the lights of the eighteenth century are still illuminating, and that our writers and writers are no less taller than the writers and writers of that century So let us unite and decide That this century is the century of the lights of the Arab nation, to remove the darkness and raise the banner of rationality high ».

Knowledge first

For his part, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority, Ahmed bin Rakad Al Ameri, in his speech during the opening of the exhibition: «History states that if the Arabs wanted to take care of something presented .. We in Sharjah provided knowledge and book on architecture and industry, it was that we all succeeded, we provided science On projects, development was based on knowledge and awareness of the needs of society. ”

For his part, President of the National Union of Publishers of Mexico, Juan Luis Arzuz, delivered a speech in which he praised Mexico's choice of guest of honor for the 38th session, and the choice reflected in the choice of cultural and knowledge enjoyed by Mexico, pointing out that the publishing industry in Mexico is a basic industry, which Options that promote national identity, the values ​​of Mexican society.

Yomna Eid: An Appreciation for the Female Writer

The writer and critic, Dr. Yomna Al-Eid, delivered a speech on the occasion of her honoring the cultural personality of the year, in which she expressed her great pride in this honor, considering that this honor is for culture in general, and for the female writer in particular, in recognition of the role of the writer in enriching Arab culture and humanity. She pointed to the memories that she collects in Sharjah, memories entitled to celebrate culture and intellectuals, and writers, writer and writer without distinction on the limits of identity, thought and belonging, and without discrimination between the writer and writer.

On the honoring platform

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, honored Dr. Yomna Al Eid with the Cultural Personality of the Year Shield for this session of the Sharjah Book Fair. He also honored the winners of the exhibition, and won the Sharjah Award for the best Emirati book (in the novel) Abdullah Al Nuaimi for “Zubaydah Apartment”. In the field of studies, Latifa Ali Obaid, Afra Rashed Al Basti (UAE) and Abdullah Salim Emara (Palestine) won the book “Summary in the History of the United Arab Emirates from Prehistory to Political and Cultural History” in 1971. Awarded the Emirati Saleh Karama Al Ameri for the play «Take the Earth».

The prize for the best Emirati book (printed on the UAE) went to the Syrian writer Ezzat Omar for his book «The impact of modernity and its aftermath in the narrative Emirati text», and the award for the best Arabic book in the field of the novel by Maqbool Musa Al Alawi (Saudi Arabia) for his novel «Taif Hallaj», while American Emmy S. Edmundsen, for her book “Fearless Organization”, was handed over on her behalf by Amer Chitwa, Sales Director, Willy. The best foreign fiction book went to Nigerian Shiloshi Onimilukwe Onubia for her book “Son of the House”.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah also honored the winners of the publishing houses awards.He was awarded the Best Local Publishing House 2019 for Dar Al-Hudhud, and won the Best Arabic Publishing House 2019.Egyptian Dar Al-Maaref Foundation, and the Best Foreign Publishing House won the Austrian Adeva Graz.

The Italian publishing house in Rome, Edizione e / o, was awarded the translation of the novel "The Little Death" of the Saudi Mohammed Hassan Alwan, published in Italian, and Dar Al Saqi from Beirut won the Arab House Award for copyright of the first Arabic edition of the novel itself.

Tour between the wings

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, visited the pavilions and houses participating in the 38th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair.

The exhibition, which runs until the 9th of November, will be held at Expo Center Sharjah, 2000 publishing houses from 81 Arab and foreign countries.

His Highness started his tour of the exhibition at the Mexico Pavilion, which is the guest of honor of the exhibition. He was briefed on the exhibits of the pavilion and the various cultural, intellectual and creative products offered by Mexico to visitors, including a set of manuscripts and paintings that reflect Mexican culture.

His Highness stopped at Al Qasimi Publications Pavilion and signed a number of new publications, giving the first copies to a number of guests.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah visited the Sharjah Pavilion, the World Book Capital for 2019.

His Highness also briefed on a number of federal and local authorities, who presented an explanation on the most important cultural achievements and achievements. He also visited the pavilions of the Gulf and Arab countries participating in the exhibition this year, and international and local publishing houses, and became acquainted with their books and publications. During his tour, the Ruler of Sharjah received a number of dedications and publications from local and international writers, writers and publishing houses.

5 new titles

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, today inaugurated his latest historical, intellectual and literary publications at the Al Qasimi Publications Pavilion at the 38th edition of the Sharjah Book Fair.

The collection included: the novel of Prince Muqrin, the books of Philip the Arab, the rule of Qaraqosh, the systems of interest from the biography of Ibn Majid, and the interventions of Sultan.

It is worth mentioning that His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi has 172 titles in history, literature, fiction, theater and biography, including 60 titles in Arabic, and 112 in 15 international languages.

Etisalat Children's Book Award

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, honored the six winners of the 11th Etisalat Children's Book Award.

The "Children's Book of the Year" award won a story (about "Q" and "L"), by Anas Abu Rahmeh, and drawings by Lubna Taha, and in the category of "Book of the Year for Adolescents", the book won "Who is this doll?" To tweet the carpenter.

In the category «Best Text» won «Damascus: the story of the city» written and drawings by Alaa Murtaza, while won the category «best drawings» «I fly», by Amani Saad Alnajem, and drawings by Ali Khaled Zaini.

He won the category «Best Direction» book «Abu Karkouba» by Nabiha Muhaidli, drawings Walid Taher, while won the prize «best silent book»; new category, the book «secret well» drawings infallible Haji Wind, and the author Ali al-Qasim.