Sharjah Book Authority launches year-long Golden Jubilee programme

It will include literary seminars, poetry recitals and other cultural events

Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, chairman of Sharjah Book Authority, announced the Golden Jubilee programme at the 40th Sharjah International Book Fair. Pawan Singh / The National

The Sharjah Book Authority, in partnership with the Emirates Writers Union, has launched a year-long programme of literary and cultural events in celebration of the UAE’s Golden Jubilee.

The programme, which was announced during the Sharjah International Book Fair, will include literary seminars, poetry recitals and other cultural events. It will highlight the nation’s cultural accomplishments in the past 50 years.

“We laud the leading efforts of EWU in launching initiatives to strengthen the cultural movement in the UAE, which has been shaped and transformed over the past 50 years to become an integral element of the country’s identity,” Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, chairman of the book authority, said.

“Both parties share a common vision; most notably, to nurture a culture of reading and knowledge amongst the younger generations and to equip them with the necessary tools and skills to realise their country’s ambitions.”

For his part, Sultan Al Amimi, chairman of the Emirates Writers Union, said a series of “exceptional events and initiatives” will be unveiled during the course of the next year “that will further enrich the already vibrant literary and cultural scene”.

The 40th Sharjah International Book Fair wrapped up earlier this week at the Expo Centre.

The 10-day event, which ran from November 3 to last Saturday, marked a focused return to an engaging in-person programme, after the hybrid model implemented last year as a response to Covid-19 restrictions.

More than 85 local and international literary figures took part in this year’s SIBF, including Nobel Prize winner Abdulrazak Gurnah, Jnanpith Award-winner Amitav Ghosh, Algerian author Ahlam Mosteghanemi and The Pursuit of Happyness author Chris Gardner. It also received 1.6 million visitors from 109 nationalities, according to a statement.

Scroll through the gallery below to see more photos of Sharjah International Book Fair 2021: