The Ministry of Culture and Youth has announced yesterday the start of the "Reading Month 2022" under the theme " The UAE Reads ", embodying the national vision, that seeks to pave the way for a generation of readers, strengthening the country's position as a capital of content, culture and knowledge.
The United Arab Emirates celebrates Reading Month every year, in accordance with the decision issued by the Council of Ministers, which established the month of March annually as National Reading Month, a milestone that sets a new pace in the development of knowledge societies in the country. The Ministry of Culture and Youth is committed to its implementation, in full coordination with the relevant federal and local authorities.
The Reading Month mirrors the eagerness of the United Arab Emirates' leadership, headed by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rachid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. The objective of the project is to foster a culture of science and knowledge, and to bring to fruition a series of cultural, intellectual, and cognitive projects launched by the state since its inception.
A key national goal of this initiative is to ensure that reading behavior reaches 50% of Emirati adults by 2026 and 80% of students, with an average of 20 books read by students per year on a voluntary basis. Another goal of this strategy is that the percentage of Emirati parents who read for their children should be no less than about 50%.
Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, said: "Reading is intricately linked to the UAE's efforts both to shore up the knowledge economy as a platform to step into the future and to sustain the country's progress and the well-being of its people. Indeed, without reading, there is no way for the educated and innovative citizen to embrace the foundations of the knowledge economy, to drive the process of sustainable development, to consolidate the reading culture in society and to make initiatives to upgrade the level of knowledge and culture a top priority in the annual agenda of government and private bodies.
His Highness the President of the State has enacted the National Reading Law, the first of its kind in the world, with the aim of underpinning the development of human capital, contributing to the strengthening of mental and cognitive capacities, supporting national intellectual production and enhancing knowledge. societies in the country. The National Reading Law establishes binding frameworks for all government bodies in the educational, community, media and cultural sectors to further reinforce reading among all groups in society at all ages.
Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qassimi, President of International Publishers Association, emphasized that the Association gives due care for effective and open communication with publisher unions and associations around the world to discuss developments and challenges in the publishing sector and identify new business models in line with developments in the previous phase.
Sheikha Bodour Al Qassimi said: “We have drawn up a plan to hold a series of in-depth meetings and dialogues with publishers around the world and we started with Arab Publishers Association and Egyptian Publishers Association. The Arab publishing sector has promising opportunities, as the percentage of Arab young people is considered one of the highest percentages all over the world and this category is eager for knowledge and looks forward to getting acquainted with all new and creative aspects. Thus, this constitutes a motivation and inspiration for publishers.”
This statement was said during a meeting held between Sheikha Bodour Al Qassimi and members of Arab Publishers Association and members of Egyptian Publishers Association in Cairo.
The meeting of Sheikha Bodour Al Qassimi with Arab Publishers Association is the first activity that she has undertaken since holding the presidency of International Publishers Association, in a step in which she affirmed that the issues of Arab publisher are included within the main and essential issues the Association set for its new business cycle. Sheikha Bodour sent a message to Arab publishers, in which she declared that International Publishers Association is keen on interacting with them and continuing the exchange of ideas and visions to find out the factors of growth of the publishing sector in the Arab markets and define how to allow Arab books to reach global markets.
Supporting the creativity
Sheikha Al Qassimi discussed, before the participants in the meeting, the tasks of the specialized committees at International Publishers Association and showed how publishers joined it and participated in achieving its goals, noting that the Association was established to defend for publishers, unify their statements and visions and arrange their efforts to play their roles in an incubating and supportive environment throughout the world.
In addition, President of Arab Publishers Association, Mohamed Rashad, considered that the first visit of Sheikha Bodour Al Qassimi, in her official capacity as President of International Publishers Association, is an appreciation and respect for Egypt's position on the map of Arab and global publishing.
He appreciated the efforts exerted by Sharjah under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qassimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, in caring for and paying due attention to writers and the publishing stakeholders, pointing out that the establishment of Sharjah International Book Fair and the splendid initiatives accompanying it, represented a good chance for the publishing sector undergoing difficult circumstances.
A meeting was held last Saturday between Mr. Tayfur Esen (President of the International Association of Children's Book Publishers in Turkey) and Mr. Hassan Muhammad Adnan Salem (Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Children's Book Publishers Forum), in attendance of Dr. Muhammad Agir Akce. This fruitful meeting allowed to give an overview of the activities of both institutions, they discussed the areas of common cooperation, and ways to boost and strengthen the activities between all the institutions operating in the area of Children's books so as to establish joint targeted activities.
The International Publishers Association announced the election and appointment of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi as the President of the Association, starting from its next session of 2021 during the General Assembly of International Publishers Association, which was held via "Zoom" platform, with the participation of a group of members of the Association.
During the past two years, Sheikha Bodour held the position of Vice-President of International Publishers Association.
The selection of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi for this prominent international position, which is considered one of the most influential positions in the book and knowledge industry, constituted an Arab and international precedent that embodies the efforts of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi in supporting the publishing industry and publishers at the local and global levels, through a series of international initiatives within which she exerted great efforts to serve the publishing sector in various countries of the world. This selection is deemed an international honoring for the cultural march of the Emirate of Sharjah in particular, and the United Arab Emirates, in general.
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi has also made many achievements that have a great impact on the course of Emirati cultural work, as she founded the Emirates Publishers Association in 2009.
Sheikha played a prominent role in allowing Sharjah to get the title of "World Book Capital of 2019", making Sharjah the first Gulf city to receive this title and the third in the Arab world and the Middle East region, since Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi chaired the advisory committee and the office of Sharjah as World Book Capital.
