The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), will be highlighting its important role in furthering cultural understanding and promoting the Arabic language at the Riyadh International Book Fair, which is taking place in Saudi Arabia this month.
Participation at the fair, which is running until 10th October at the Riyadh Front exhibition centre, underlines the ALC’s aim in supporting the regional publishing industry and furthering the development of Arabic. The ALC has set up a dedicated pavilion where it will promote its in-house projects, showcase its own publications and host book-signing ceremonies.
“We are delighted to participate in the Riyadh International Book Fair, an extraordinary cultural occasion for Saudi Arabia’s publishing industry, which has gained an outstanding reputation locally, regionally and globally,” said Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC. “Strong collaboration with publishers throughout the region is an essential part of our remit to further the UAE’s cultural growth, so we look forward to deepening these links during the event’s timetable.”
During the event, Dr. bin Tamim, who is also Secretary-General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, will participate in the Arab Awards Forum, organised by King Faisal Prize General Secretariat. A platform for Arabic culture, the Forum is made up of representatives from award organisations in the Arab World and offers opportunities for exchanging knowledge and experiences.
“The Riyadh International Book Fair stands out as a prestigious event in the Arab world, especially as it attracts such a large number of attendees,” said Mouza Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of the ALC. “This year, our efforts are dedicated to presenting to the ever-increasing numbers of Saudi and Arab readers who are interested in the Centre’s vast collection of published books. We are really hopeful that we are witnessing the recovery of book fairs after the challenges inflicted by the pandemic, which will in turn accelerate the pace of development of the publishing sector.”
An official delegation from the ALC is meeting with Saudi Arabia’s cultural leaders, as well as national and regional publishers to identify growth possibilities in the publishing sector.
At its pavilion, the ALC will present a series of audiobooks and printed books, comprising about 100 notable books and anthologies. Readers can also browse books on their Smartphones by scanning the QR code through the ‘Atheer Al Kutub’ and ‘Wajeez Al Kutub’ initiatives for audiobooks. Among the events at the ALC pavilion will be a signing ceremony for the launch of Naseer Shamma’s debut book ‘Al Uslubia Al Mousiqiyah (Styles of Music)’ on 7th October.
