Sharjah book fair announces 12 social media workshops

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Besides celebrating reading and culture, the milestone Sharjah International Book Fair 2021 (SIBF), being organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) at Expo Centre Sharjah from November 3 to 13, has announced 12 workshops focused on social media and online marketing for all age groups.

Broadening its range of offerings, SIBF’s social media workshops will run the gamut, from the basics of creating engaging content online to learning powerful marketing methods and even creating simple home automation systems. The workshops are free-to-attend onsite and will take place at the book fair’s popular Social Media Station.

The wide range of sessions will include: 10 marketing secrets in writing that attract people to your business in seconds, by Ahmed Alkhawaja, Emirati speaker and marketing and advertising expert, who will also host a session on Powerful marketing psychology methods that influence your audience and customer; Steps to create content on social media, by brand marketing specialist Abdullah Darwish; and two sessions will be presented by certified coach and media personality Hala Harb, namely, How to turn purposeful information into entertaining content and One man show – the process of creating content from A to Z and what happens behind the scene.

Porta pop art in clay and Pop Art will be led by Mahmoud Safwat, caricaturist, sculptor and digital artist; while Abdus will lead two sessions, namely, Build your smart city and Simple DIY home automation system. Personal Marketing Myths will feature marketing consultant and trainer Rami Issa who will teach participants how to create engaging Instaposts; while How to use the Internet to advance your business will be led by brand strategist Samaan Mikhael; and finally, How to turn your expertise to a lucrative online business will be presented by entrepreneur Sarah Refai.

Themed ‘There’s always a right book,’ the forthcoming 40th edition of SIBF will see the participation of 1,632 publishing houses from 83 countries. More than 15 million books will be on display throughout the 11-day celebration of literature, knowledge and culture.

An earlier report said the “Bologna Grand Tour” networking initiative by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF) has announced the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) as one of the stops in its four-nation tour for 2021, to promote its objective of forging new connections by touring the leading book fairs all over the world.

The BCBF organisers made this announcement during the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA)’s participation at the recently concluded 73rd edition of Frankfurter Buchmesse, asserting that the SIBF is a strategic gateway to new business opportunities and cultural exchange between Italy and Asia and North Africa.

The announcement follows Sharjah’s selection as the Guest of Honour for the 59th edition of BCBF, from 21st to 24th March, 2022.

During a presentation by the BCBF at the Frankfurter Buchmesse, SBA Chairman, Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, detailed the emirate’s Guest of Honour agenda for BCBF 2022.

He highlighted the programme that includes theatre and performance in the fair and in schools across the region, and dialogue and discourse on the development of children’s literature and education. Al Ameri asserted that the inclusion of SIBF 2021 in the Bologna Grand Tour reflects on the vision and directives of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to establish the emirate and its cultural platforms as vibrant hubs of exchange and human development.

Speaking on the participation in Frankfurter Buchmesse, the Chairman said, “The SBA is keen on participating in international book fairs to build and advance partnerships with cultural institutions and publishers from around the world.” He stressed that Frankfurter Buchmesse is one of the crucial events on the SBA’s agenda.

The SBA also utilised the platform of the world’s leading event to promote the upcoming milestone 40th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) and drive forward the agenda of the three-day Publisher’s Conference – a key industry event that precedes the SIBF and which brings professionals in the global publishing industry together.