Sharjah shares sustainable cultural model in France

Under the directives of Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority and Chair of the Advisory Committee of Sharjah World Book Capital, the emirate of Sharjah was represented by the Sharjah World Book Capital Office at the 6th meeting of the World Book Capital Network (WBCN), which took place in Strasburg; the World Book Capital 2024, convening representatives of the cities that were given this prestigious title, designated by UNESCO annually.

The meeting brought together Anne Mistler, Deputy Mayor in charge of Arts and Culture in Strasbourg, along with representatives of past, present and future World Book Cities.

Sharjah’s participation in the meeting aligned with the emirate’s role in supporting the WBCN and contributing to the enhancement of the reading culture globally, driven by its remarkable experience in turning the Sharjah World Book Capital 2019 title into a year-round sustainable and comprehensive cultural project.

The meeting is the final step that precedes wrapping up the title celebration in Strasbourg, as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is announced the 2025 World Book Capital, while Rabat, Morocco, is gearing up to receive the 2026 title, making it the first Moroccan city to get this global honour.

Marwa Al Aqroubi, Director or Project lead of the Sharjah World Book Capital 2019 and Executive Director of House of Wisdom, affirmed that Sharjah views its membership in the World Book Capital Network as both a cultural duty and a moral commitment.

She noted that the emirate actively supports fellow cities by sharing the wealth of experience gained during its World Book Capital year — an ambitious programme that championed cultural diversity, encouraged knowledge sharing, and positioned books as catalysts for community growth.

“When Sharjah was named World Book Capital in 2019, we made a promise — to transform this title from a celebratory moment into a lasting evolution in our cultural landscape,” she said.

“Six years on, the initiatives we launched then continue to flourish, expanding across borders and introducing global audiences to Sharjah’s enduring cultural vision.”

She added: “Taking part in the WBCN enabled us to gain insights into the experiences of other cities, engage in the global challenges, exchange expertise and offer practice-driven solutions. The WBCN meetings offered a platform to exchange ideas on the role of reading in enabling communities in light of the fast-paced social and technological development. In line with our firm belief that books serve not only to knowledge, but also as a cross-cultural communication tool, we continue our commitment to supporting cities that prepare to get designated this title and working closely with UNESCO and our partners to turn reading into a daily habit and lifestyle.”

The attendees discussed the new activities organised by the cities that were selected as World Book capital.

Mawra Al Aqroubi focused on festivities like the Sharjah Libraries Centennial, Sharjah Literature Festival, Sharjah Festival of African Literature, among others. The participants explored ways to support and encourage other cities to present their nominations, as well as helping them with the forms. They discussed projects worthy of support, in light of Sharjah’s participation in the partnership and support committee dedicated to World Book capital projects.

The WBCN is one of the most important cultural initiatives launched by UNESCO to support cities that were designated the prestigious title, enable knowledge and expertise exchange, and collaborate in quality programs that elevate the value of reading locally and regionally.

The network offers a platform for dialogue between cities and documents successful experiences, paving the way to a global cultural environment that recognises the value of books as an essential pillar of development, innovation.