From faith to philosophy, scienceto poetry, great works of literature have become important to people and culture. During the GoldenAge of Islam, Arabic literature saw new intellectual and cultural development. Men like Sina, Alkindiand Khwarezmi took civilization to new heights.
Today, knowledge is still a powerful force in shaping global culture. In Abu Dhabi, we support this tradition by promoting Arabic literature as a lifeline and encouraging cultural exchange.
TheInternational Book Fair & Tourism (DCT) in AbuDhabi The Arabic Language Centre in Abu Dhabi,DCT Library Department's community presentation and earlier this year at the Louvre AbuDhabi, showcased the power of folktales from a global perspective.
The written word is thriving in Abu Dhabi, and we want to keep it that way. This year’s Abu DhabiInternational Book Fair and Al Ain Book Fair offer readers a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Arabic literature.
Last year, our book fair welcomed 308,000 visitors and was particularly popular with school groups. A 2021 survey by the UAE Ministry of Culture found that40% of Abu Dhabi citizens and residents surveyed purchased reading materials from the DCT BookFair.
The book fair promotes Arab unity by promoting the Arabic language and provides an exciting platform for discussions by bringing together the region's most important writers and thinkers.
It is the occasion for our cultural discussions that are still alive; a rhythmic, complex and nuanced language (for example, there are many words to describe birds, some referring to their colors, some to themselves).
A great example of a library publishing initiative is the Big Little Book Contest, which invites students to-write stories about a topic and publish their work.
For example, the theme for 2020 is Expo 2020.Stories of the country’s history and symbols, from palm trees to brave sailors. Books that are sold in bookstores or that have won our writing awards. By Doing so, they will preserve our language heritage, a force in shaping culture, and ensure that our records are safe for future generations.
