DCT Abu Dhabi hosts book fairs at shopping malls

ABU DHABI: The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) organised a number of cultural activities across the emirate to promote reading as a leisure activity, particularly amongst the younger generation. The activities included specialised book fairs, with DCT Abu Dhabi offering up to 50% discounts on more than 400 titles published by the Department.

Abdullah Majed Al Ali, Acting Executive Director of Dar Al Kutub (the National Library Sector) at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “During this month of reading, DCT Abu Dhabi has succeeded in promoting an awareness of culture and reading, by launching activities that all can enjoy. Through organising reading sessions in shopping malls across Abu Dhabi, we hope to engage book lovers young and old across the Emirate.

“These initiatives are part of our ongoing efforts to stimulate cultural mobility by focusing on young people and enhancing their love of reading, in line with the goals of National Reading Month, and to achieve the vision of the state to seek knowledge as a means to support the growth of societies, and openness to other cultures.”

Throughout March, the book fairs were held at several locations across the emirate, including at Al Bawadi Mall, Bawabat Al Sharq Mall, Abu Dhabi Co-Op, where they featured educational books and novels for children, to encourage creativity, and books about the heritage and history of the UAE and the region.

The activities began at Al Bawadi Mall in Al Ain and Bawabat Al Sharq Mall, which concluded on 23 March, while the programmes held at Zayed Central Library in Al Ain will continue until 31 March. The Mother of the Nation Festival hosted a dedicated area to showcase the publications of National Library Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi, from12 - 23 March, that presented stories and children’s books on heritage and history of the UAE with a discount up to 50%.

The Department of Culture and Tourism conserves and promotes the heritage and culture of Abu Dhabi emirate and leverages them in the development of a world-class, sustainable destination of distinction that enriches  the lives of visitors and residents alike. The Department manages the emirate’s tourism sector and markets the destination internationally through a wide range of activities aimed at attracting visitors and investment. Its policies, plans and programmes relate to the preservation of heritage and culture, including protecting archaeological and historical sites and to developing museums, including the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum and the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. The Department of Culture and Tourism supports intellectual and artistic activities and cultural events to nurture a rich cultural environment and honour the emirate’s heritage. A key role played by the Department is to create synergy in the destination’s development through close co-ordination with its wide-ranging stakeholder base.

Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced that the Abdul Qader Al Rais: 50 Years of Art exhibition, which is currently on display at Manarat Al Saadiyat, will be extended until Thursday 11th April due to popular demand.

The exhibition of the celebrated Emirati painter was unveiled in December 2018 to showcase his work from the late 1960s up until the present day.

Al Rais is regarded as one of the most influential Emirati artists working today, a pioneering artist who helped shape the language of painting in the United Arab Emirates. Al Rais’ self-taught practice encompasses oil, acrylic and watercolour and the retrospective exhibition has been the first of its scale in the UAE for the artist. It has brought together the full range of concepts and techniques featured in his works that have rarely been seen before.

“We are delighted to be able to extend such a significant exhibition’s run at Manarat Al Saadiyat,” said Maisa Al Qassimi, Senior Project Manager, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, one of the co-curators of the exhibition. “The extension will give the viewing public more opportunities to discover and appreciate the depth and breadth of Abdul Qader Al Rais’s work, with this exhibition designed to be as accessible as possible, having been divided into six thematic and chronological sections highlighting sketches and archival material.”

The exhibition, currently on display, features a comprehensive display of more than 70 paintings of the artist’s practice, including some previously unseen pieces from regional private and public collections. The exhibition was also co-curated by Sara Bin Safwan, Assistant Curator, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, DCT Abu Dhabi.