Sharjah named Guest of Honour at Seoul International Book Fair

WAM / Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

South Korea is championing Sharjah’s visionary cultural project, launched and led by Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, as it announces Sharjah as Guest of Honour at the Seoul International Book Fair 2023, the largest book and publishing trade show in South Korea. 

In celebrating and honouring the unique cultural vision of the emirate, South Korea builds on the ongoing distinguished status accorded to Sharjah by leading global cities and nations for its unparalleled efforts in forging communication and dialogue with cultures and civilisations around the world.

Launched in 1954 and upgraded to the status of an international fair in 1995, the Seoul International Book Fair is one of the top book fairs in Asia and brings together a diverse gathering of publishers, distributors, and industry experts from across the continent.

For South Korea, recognised globally for its advanced infrastructure and leading status in science and technology, the book fair is a platform to highlight its contributions to the publishing industry and promote the openness and multicultural values that are rooted in South Korean culture.

As Guest of Honour, Sharjah will present a vibrant cultural programme featuring seminars and discussions, showcase heritage arts and crafts of the UAE, present traditional Emirati song and shows, and promote Arabic culture through various other art forms.

In addition, a lineup of distinguished Emirati authors, publishers and artists will be part of Sharjah’s Guest of Honour delegation.

Commenting on the prestigious title, Ahmed Al Ameri, Chairman of SBA, said: “Not a year passes by without Sharjah registering a new milestone in its cultural project, launched by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, that introduces global cultures to our rich history and shines light on our contributions to humanity through science, philosophy, and arts.”

He added that the emirate’s cultural project brings pride to every Arab because it nourishes the Arabic cultural movement.

Al Ameri continued: “The Guest of Honour status conferred on Sharjah by the Seoul International Book Fair is a celebration of the UAE’s accomplishments in reinforcing the role of knowledge as a vital factor in the advancement and prosperity of nations. It is also a celebration of the Arab culture and of every author and publisher who has contributed to expanding our cultural horizons at the local, regional, and international levels.”

Sharjah’s new prestigious title at the 2023 Seoul International Book Fair comes close on the heels of it being feted as Guest of Honour at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2022 and its celebration as Market Focus at the 49th edition of the London Book Fair, becoming the first representative of an Arab country to receive this honour.

Recently, the delegation of the SBA held meetings with a number of international publishers participating in the 34th edition of the Turin International Book Fair in Italy.

During the meetings, the SBA briefed the publishers on its preparations for the next edition of the Publishers Conference, held annually on the sidelines of the Sharjah International Book Fair, which examines the challenges and aspirations of the publishing industry on a global level.

The SBA participated in the event with a special pavilion, through which it conveyed the cultural development in the Emirate of Sharjah and the emirate’s vision towards developing the publishing industry, supporting the production of knowledge content, and encouraging translation, as part of the emirate’s directions to promote civilised dialogue and communication between the cultures of the world.

In its pavilion, the SBA reviewed its efforts to support the book industry and improve the publishing mechanism, through the opportunities it provides to publishers at the local, regional and international levels.

In addition to taking advantage of the logistical capabilities provided by the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, which provides the publisher with comprehensive and integrated solutions that help facilitate and accelerate the stages of book-making according to the latest technologies.