Sheikh Sultan opens 40th edition of Sharjah Book Fair

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated on Tuesday evening the 40th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF). The event was organised by the Sharjah Book Authority at the Expo Centre Sharjah, under the slogan 'There is always a right book.' Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah attended the inauguration, in which 1,632 Arab and foreign publishers, and 85 writers, creators and artists from different countries took part.

During the ceremony, presented by Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Radio and Television, Sheikh Sultan honoured Kuwaiti novelist and writer Talib Al Rifai with the Cultural Personality of the Year Award.

Sheikh Sultan also honoured the winners of the Sharjah International Book Fair awards, the sponsors and media partners of SIBF. They include Emirates Telecom Company, Sharjah Radio and Television Authority, Abu Dhabi Media Corporation, Expo Centre Sharjah, Dar Al Khaleej for Press, Printing and Publishing and Al Arabiya TV.

After the opening ceremony, The Ruler of Sharjah toured the exhibition with the attendees, inspecting the participating pavilions and publishing houses. He stopped at the pavilion of Spain, the Guest of Honour for 2021's exhibition, where he was briefed on its activities.

In the Al Qasimi Publications pavilion, Sheikh Sultan launched his latest new publications of historical and documentaries which deal with important periods in the history of the Emirate of Sharjah and the world.

His Highness also inspected the pavilions of the Ministry of Education, the Department of Culture, the Sharjah Police General Command and the University of Sharjah, where he was acquainted with the most prominent publications and cultural activities.

Sheikh Sultan was also briefed on the activities and efforts of the Sharjah Radio and Television Authority in the exceptional coverage of the activities of the exhibition this year.

The Ruler of Sharjah also visited the Emirates Publishers Association's pavilion and was familiarised with the initiatives and activities in support of publishers at the UAE level. He stopped at the pavilions of the Sharjah Art Foundation, Al Qasimia University, the Emirates Writers Union, the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority, and the National Archives, to view their exhibits during the days of the exhibition. Also, the Sharjah Ruler visited the pavilions of the Culture and Science Symposium, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, the Islamic Forum, the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi and the Dar Al Khaleej for Press, Printing and Publishing.

The opening ceremony was attended by Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association, Sheikha Hoor Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the Sharjah Art Foundation, Sheikh Khalid Bin Essam Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation, and Sheikh Salem Bin Abdul Rahman Al Qasimi, Head of Office His Highness the Ruler; Sheikha Nawar Bint Ahmed Al Qasimi, Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation; Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention. A number of Ministers of Culture in Arab and foreign countries, senior officials and representatives of international cultural organisations, Tanzanian writer Abdul Razzaq Gurnah, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature 2021 and other writers and intellectuals graced the event.

In his speech during the opening ceremony, Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority, said: “Today’s talk about the Sharjah International Book Fair is a talk about the fruits of the project of the Ruler of Sharjah, who was the first to believe that culture is the true power and knew the depth of its influence before he realised the world is concerned with the meaning of soft power and the feasibility of investing in it.

"It is a talk about the project that stemmed from authentic Arab roots and a special identity to open up prospects for communication with the various cultures of the world.