Fujairah [UAE], October 19 (ANI/WAM): Held under the patronage of Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, the inaugural edition of the Fujairah Children’s Book Fair concluded on Saturday, 19th October.
The event was organised by the Higher Committee of Fujairah Children’s Book Fair and Fujairah Culture and Media Authority at the Al Bayt Mitwahid Hall in Fujairah.
The first edition of the book fair, which launched on 13th October, offered a packed cultural agenda featuring more than 87 different activities. These included ten panel discussions, 43 literary events, and 34 workshops hosted on the main stage and at the booths of participating publishing houses. The event welcomed 40 publishers from the UAE and abroad, showcasing an extensive selection of educational, cultural, and artistic books.
The first edition of the Fujairah Children’s Book Fair was held under the theme ‘Create the Future with Imagination’ and featured four zones: Imagination, Adventure, Creativity and Future. These zones embodied the fair’s slogan by promoting creative thinking, scientific imagination, and learning and exploration skills among children.
Over the seven days, the fair welcomed 10,000 visitors, including school students, children, families, and literature and culture enthusiasts who attended activities daily to engage with the rich and diverse cultural programme. The event particularly attracted younger audiences, showing a strong demand for books in young adult and children’s literature genres.
The Fujairah Children’s Book Fair achieved notable success and attracted an impressive turnout. It featured a group of prominent authors and influential figures who contributed to the exhibition’s extensive cultural and educational programmes. The agenda included interactive workshops in Arabic and English and a series of panel discussions for children on topics such as art, philosophy, story creation, drawing, and book readings in Arabic and English.
These workshops and panel discussions addressed important themes, focusing on the role of fantasy in encouraging reading among the youth, ‘UAE Sana’a’ and majlis protocols, the art of creating a positive influence in the community, and the significance of tactile books in enhancing the abilities of people of determination, such as the visually impaired.
Additional sessions included creating books using origami, which engaged visitors, especially children. The young participants shared their ideas, enriched the discussions, and participated in hands-on workshops.
On the day of the inauguration, the fair launched the Upcoming Author competition, which honoured several talented young writers. Additionally, there were book signings where authors signed their works in Arabic and English at the stands of participating publishing houses.
Nasser Al Yamahi, Executive Director of the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority, said: “The inaugural edition of the Fujairah Children’s Book Fair was unique and yielded outstanding results. The event welcomed leading intellectual, literary and cultural figures who participated in remarkable sessions on children’s literature and culture.”
Al Yamahi expressed his gratitude to Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, for his generous patronage of the exhibition. He also acknowledged Mohammed’s notable interest in the event’s various activities, which demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting children in developing their skills and enhancing their reading culture.
Al Yamahi said that the fair had become a leading intellectual and cultural event, providing tremendous value to the emirate of Fujairah. He said, “It strengthens the emirate’s efforts to promote reading, support young creative minds, scout for talents, and highlight the latest developments in the publishing sector.”
He said, “The fair also served as a platform for young readers to meet authors, publishers, and other key figures in the literary and knowledge industries.” Al Yamahi underlined that the Fujairah Children’s Book Fair aligns with the emirate’s distinguished role in culture and knowledge.
“The fair was a success, by all standards, attracting large crowds of visitors,” Al Yamahi continued, adding that the next edition is expected to see further growth, with plans to expand exhibition space, enhance services for exhibitors, and accommodate more publishers. (ANI/WAM)
