220 UAE school libraries get 65,000 books from Abu Dhabi fair

Under the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, 65,000 books from the 33rd Abu Dhabi International Book Fair have been distributed to libraries at 220 schools across the UAE.

Facilitated by a financial grant, the initiative aims to support school libraries in fostering a culture of reading among students.

The titles and publications were purchased from 77 publishing houses that participated in the book fair, in an effort to enrich students’ knowledge and expand the schools’ educational resources.

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said, “The Arabic language, with its diverse and rich literary heritage, is more than just a means of communication. Our language is a powerful and inclusive tool for innovative and critical thinking, enabling us to unite in our thoughts and words. This vital and generous grant from President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will encourage reading and the protection of our language, help us foster deeper understanding, and bridge the many cultures and people who speak it, ensuring that our collective wisdom continues to guide future generations.”

Dr Ali Bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), said, “The grant from President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is a continuation of His Highness’ unlimited support to the culture and education sectors.”

“We appreciate this significant support from His Highness the President, who always inspires us to persevere in our efforts to keep the local and Arab publishing markets competitive and position the book fair as a platform for promoting knowledge.”

“This grant forms another milestone in the long and continuous journey initiated by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE, to support the publishing and knowledge sectors, and ensure that books continue to be held in the same esteem.”

The grant contributed to reinforcing the UAE’s intellectual and cultural path, offering students a wide and diverse range of knowledge resources and titles featured at the fair, which stimulated their creative imagination and enhanced young generations’ connection with books.

In addition, the grant provided an opportunity for the publishing sector and book industry to continue their efforts and expand their contributions.

Recently, the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair organised a panel discussion titled "The Document of Human Fraternity: An Important Message to the World," featuring Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, and Bishop Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis, the Apostolic Nuncio to the UAE, moderated by Dr Nashwa Al Ruwaini.

At the beginning of the seminar, Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam affirmed that the Document of Human Fraternity, which was co-signed by the eminent religious figures His Eminence Dr Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and Pope Francis, Head of Catholic Church, in Abu Dhabi, the capital of tolerance, in 2019, constituted the most significant and essential event in modern human history.

He praised the gracious patronage and continuous support from the wise leadership, for spreading the noble values and principles of the document.

The Secretary-General added that through the signing of the Document of Human Fraternity, Dr Al-Tayeb and the Pope sought to leave a humanitarian legacy for future generations, aiming to promote understanding and communication among religions and cultures, and to establish the values of fraternity and peaceful coexistence.

He emphasised that the document has become a source of inspiration for millions of people worldwide, embodying lofty human values. It has been adopted by the United Nations as an international day for human fraternity and has been included in educational programmes in several countries around the world, with some countries adopting it as a national document.

Furthermore, Judge Abdelsalam explained that the Document of Human Fraternity has led to numerous initiatives, such as the Abrahamic Family House and the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, among others.

WAM