During his visit to the 48th edition of the London Book Fair (LBF), His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, has witnessed the announcement of the programme to celebrate the “Sharjah World Book Capital 2019” (SWBC 2019) title, which was launched by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as the first city in the GCC region, third in the Arab world, and 19th globally to hold this prestigious title.

The programme was announced in the presence of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Vice President of the International Publishers Association (IPA). The emirate of Sharjah is witnessing a big cultural celebration during a grand inaugural on April 23, 2019, which aims in engaging book lovers of all age groups, interests and cultural backgrounds.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah has been acquainted with the six guiding principles: Unifying Communities, Fostering Knowledge, Honouring Heritage, Empowering Children & Youth, Raising Awareness, and Developing Publishing Industries. As the emirate seeks to foster a vibrant culture of reading in the UAE community, instill a sense of belonging to knowledge and to books, and turn reading into a daily activity, practiced especially by children and young adults.

The emirate of Sharjah also seeks to highlight the importance of protecting the nation’s heritage illustrated in Emirati and Arabic novels, by passing it down to future generations.

Sharjah World Book Capital has participated in an interactive platform to promote the ‘beach libraries’ along the shores of Sharjah. The programme will be organised by Sharjah Investment & Development Authority (Shurooq), Sharjah Municipality, Sharjah Ladies Club (SLC), and Knowledge without Borders (KwB).