He stressed that the exhibition succeeded because it was not "just a continuation of the picture."
Ahmed Al Ameri: “Sharjah Book” upset the scales..and put us at the forefront of contributors to global achievements
Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority: Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri.
picture
The head of the Sharjah Book Authority, Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, said that the Sharjah International Book Fair would not have succeeded over the course of 40 years, "if it was just a continuation of the image, or if it was an abstract message to the world saying that we care about books and culture in general," adding that " The success was the fruit of devotion to the cultural vision and the belief that it is a prerequisite for development, and the commitment to do whatever is necessary for the exhibition to fulfill its comprehensive revival function.”
He added in an interview with "Emirates Today" that the exhibition, which will start its 40th session on Wednesday, has become a source of pride for the nation, because it changed and upset many balances, and restored many considerations.
While Al-Amiri affirmed that the Arab nation possesses the values, morals and human attitudes of which nations boast, but he considers that the exhibition “put us at the forefront of contributors to major global achievements, and it has become a source of pride for every Arab and has reached the highest ranks of book fairs in the world.”
The head of the Sharjah Book Authority stressed that the exhibition continues to consolidate this position and prove it by offering book makers a reliable global platform in which they meet, discuss their affairs and agree on their future paths.
He continued, "We seek for the exhibition to become an umbrella for an integrated cultural community that embraces all kinds of local, regional and global events that include all kinds of intellectual and artistic production, and related industries and skills."
He stated that the first session of the exhibition in 1982 recorded the participation of only six publishing houses, while 1632 publishers representing 83 countries will participate in the new session, presenting more than 15 million books, and accompanying them with more than 1,000 events.
The elevation of people begins with their culture
Al Ameri began the meeting by saying: “Nations build their societies on selected foundations that reflect the vision of their leaders and the aspirations of their children and embody their values, culture and principles. Forty years ago, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, laid the first of these foundations, and His Highness chose to be Cultural and sustainable foundations, and in this choice an affirmation that the sublimity of human beings begins with their culture and intellectual production first, because this product is the origin of every material product.”
He considered that the implications of entering the exhibition in its 40th year are many and complex, because the exhibition's march overlaps with the march of the society of Sharjah, the UAE and the societies of the region, and it can even be said that it left traces in every people and society in this world. The first indication stems from the great efforts behind the exhibition, the first of which is the support and guidance of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, and then the continuous cooperation from the emirate’s institutions. The exhibition could succeed along this path if it was just a completion of the image, or if it was an abstract message to the world saying that we care about books and culture in general. The success was the fruit of sincerity to the cultural vision and belief that it is a prerequisite for development, and the commitment to do everything necessary for the exhibition to perform its comprehensive revival function.The second indication is embodied in the exhibition’s response to the endeavors and challenges of development locally and globally, thus it touches the need of every individual and institution locally, and the need of every Arab in the region and the world. Events and events succeed if they are in response to an original need, and if they come as a natural complement to the course of history, the exhibition has roots that go back to hundreds and thousands It is based on our great knowledge heritage, and bears the wills and imprints of our writers, thinkers and scholars who made the history of the culture of the region and its peoples and influenced the cultures of the whole world.
The third indication is embodied in the social dimension of the exhibition, which has become part of the memory of individuals, families and lovers of reading of all kinds, and has become part of the common Arab and human memory, until it has become a social, not elitist, demand that its audience awaits every year, and over the course of 40 years, the public built its memories in the corridors of the exhibition. It even became a landmark of the district's annual circuit of events.
A source of pride for the nation
Al-Amiri turns to the exhibition’s achievements, explaining in one sentence: “It is a source of pride for the nation,” and he continues: “I say this because it changed and overturned many scales, and restored many considerations. It is true that we possess values, morals and human attitudes that we boast about nations, but today (Sharjah International Book) has placed us at the forefront of contributors to major global achievements, and it has become a source of pride for every Arab and has reached the highest ranks of book fairs in the world. ».
The head of the authority touched on the "high confidence in the Sharjah Book Fair", saying: "Trust in cultural projects is not easily achieved, but rather comes as an entitlement to work and great and integrated effort, in which vision overlaps with planning with the efforts of institutions and social incubators and the great demand from writers and publishers in the world, and here I can Saying that one of our main goals is to build a human knowledge society, which constitutes a haven and a fortress from the slackness and extremism of thought from its directions that serve and achieve common public interests.
He continued: “What confirms social confidence, is that (Sharjah International Book Fair) was the first fair organized on the ground after the (Covid-19) pandemic, yet we witnessed a great demand from publishers and the public, and last year’s session achieved all of its goals, foremost of which was the restoration of activity The movement of publishing, distributing and selling the book, and restoring hope for the rapid recovery of the book industry, so I can say that the last cycle was a lifeline for many publishing houses that suffered from exhaustion of options due to the precautionary measures that prevailed in the countries of the world.”
On Sharjah’s ambitions to advance its book fair, the head of the authority answers: “What determines the prospects for cultural projects is the accurate understanding of culture in terms of origin and purpose, and the will and determination behind the project, and who leads the ambitions of the Sharjah Civilization Project and the Sharjah International Book Fair, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, which is the best Whoever presents to the world an accurate understanding of culture, and his will and determination in this field bear witness to it, far before the near.”
In terms of its origins, culture in its general form is a product of the movement of life, the interaction of people with their surroundings, a product of contemplation of the universe and its material and social phenomena, and the continuation of the search for the fundamental questions of thinkers.
This means that the production and expression of culture in books and other forms of artistic expression will not stop, and therefore the exhibition will continue to keep pace with this process of continuous production.
As for the purpose, culture is the main supporter of the path of life, and it is manifested here in the form of people’s experiences and their intellectual and material product, which books in turn embrace and are presented to other nations and peoples. National.
At the local level, the UAE seeks to consolidate the foundations of a knowledge society and economy. Reading societies are well aware of the meaning of belonging, positive citizenship and strong social relations, and are well aware of their role in the process of construction and development.
As for the economy, we are going to a stage that depends on ideas, talents, and human imagination, rather than on material resources. Here, too, the importance of the book emerges, and indeed the importance of the reading community that the Sharjah Book Fair contributes to shaping.
He added: "This reading confirms that the book is an urgent need to elevate the way of life, the status of nations, their role, and the level of appreciation they enjoy, and for all of this we are keen on the continuity of the exhibition as much as we are keen on the status of the nation and its human role, and we are mainly keen on the stability and prosperity of their societies."
As for the ambition regarding the exhibition, it is very big. Today, the exhibition hosts the Publishers Conference and the Library Conference, and will organize for the first time a summit of national libraries, and this was achieved after the exhibition was just an event to display the publications of publishing houses.
We seek to make the exhibition an umbrella for an integrated cultural community that embraces all kinds of local, regional and international events that include all kinds of intellectual and artistic production and related industries and skills.
The exhibition is a mini human culture community in the heart of Sharjah, so we are always working on studying and evaluating many initiatives to launch them within the exhibition's activities and to become part of its annual presence.
1000 activities
Al Ameri goes on to talk about the development of the Sharjah Book Fair, explaining that the first session in 1982 recorded the participation of only six publishing houses, while 1632 publishers representing 83 countries will participate in the fortieth session, providing more than 15 million books distributed over 1.3 million titles, including 110,000 titles. new.
He concluded by saying: “Because we are keen that the exhibition be a comprehensive destination and a space for social interaction, this year the exhibition will organize more than 1,000 activities, ranging from seminars, workshops, dialogue sessions, and recreational activities, so that every family and individual of all nationalities will have a reason to visit it and build memories in its corridors.” .
• The exhibition forms part of the memory of individuals, families and lovers of all kinds of reading.
• The last session was a lifeline for publishing houses that suffered from running out of options.
Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority:
• "We seek to make the exhibition an umbrella for an integrated cultural community that embraces local and international events for intellectual production."
• «The first session of the exhibition in 1982 recorded the participation of only six publishing houses, and today we receive 1632 publishers».
Arabic Spanish Fingerprints
The Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority, Ahmed Al Ameri, confirmed that the Sharjah International Book Fair is committed to an annual guest of honor to the fair, in appreciation of the intellectual contributions of every people in our comprehensive civilizational journey.
He added: “The choice of Spain to be the guest of honor for the new edition of the exhibition comes due to the long history and mutual influence between Spanish and Arab culture, and their literature having clear imprints in our literature and vice versa. Spanish culture is an affirmation of the continuity of the historical cultural act and its presence in the current reality of culture.”
This year, 41 Spanish writers, artists and creators will participate in 25 activities and events distributed over literature and arts of all kinds.
Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news