Sharjah brings together the world’s book capitals to promote the culture of reading
Sharjah, 8 November / WAM / The activities of the 44th session of the Sharjah International Book Fair hosted a dialogue session entitled “UNESCO and the World Book Capital Initiative”, which brought together prominent cultural figures from the Emirate of Sharjah and the Greek capital, Athens, with the aim of strengthening cultural cooperation between the two sides and discussing the prospects for global cultural dialogue between the capitals that have won this title, in addition to examining the role of literature, reading and cultural exchange in strengthening bridges of communication between societies and peoples.
Participating in the session were Marwa Al Aqroubi, Project Director of “Sharjah World Book Capital 2019” and Executive Director of the House of Wisdom, and Anna Rotsi, a founding member of the UNESCO Network of World Book Capitals and the International PEN Club, Greece Branch.
Marwa Al Aqroubi spoke about the journey that preceded the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) granting the emirate the title of “World Book Capital” in 2019.
She said that Sharjah began its cultural journey more than 100 years ago and that obtaining the title came in honor of its efforts in promoting the process of knowledge and innovation, as the emirate’s first initiatives in establishing libraries date back to 1925 with the establishment of the Sharjah Public Library.
Al Aqroubi traced the emirate’s ancient history in the field of culture and reading, pointing to the establishment of the first library in Sharjah more than a century ago, and with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the emirate laid solid cultural foundations through specific projects, including the “Library for Every Home” initiative, which distributed 42,366 libraries to every Emirati home in Sharjah in an achievement that is the first of its kind in the region.
Al-Aqroubi confirmed that Sharjah’s leadership in the World Capitals Book Network has achieved a tangible humanitarian impact, as Sharjah provided support to rebuild libraries in Beirut after the port explosion and sent educational materials to schools in the city of Konkari in Guinea and to other areas affected by crises.
She pointed out that these initiatives are not political bridges, but rather cognitive and cultural bridges, stressing that Sharjah continues to build on the achievements of obtaining the title by launching ongoing initiatives and new projects in the publishing sector and concluding global partnerships.
For her part, Anna Rotsi discussed how the title of “World Book Capital” contributed to the revitalization of Athens during a period full of economic and social challenges. She said, “When Athens obtained the title, Greece was facing an economic crisis, and the World Book Capital initiative came to enhance the feelings of pride and pride among the Greek people and revive cultural diplomacy in Athens and all of Greece.”
Rutzi pointed out that the challenge facing Athens was not only to celebrate literature, but to deliver books to readers who cannot access them. We combined books, art, and cinema to transform reading into an enjoyable, interactive social experience available to everyone.
Regarding the importance of cooperation between the world capitals for books, Rutzi stressed that the network of capitals brings together all participating cities, giving them the opportunity to exchange experiences and support new cities nominated for the title. This title does not extend for one year only, but rather constitutes a network of cooperation and a way to enhance the impact of culture and facilitate access to it at the global level.
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