His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, officially inaugurated the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair this morning, Wednesday. The event was attended by His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, in addition to Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority. This year's fair, themed "Between You and a Book," will take place from November 5 to November 16 at the Expo Sharjah Centre.
His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi addressed attendees during the opening ceremony of the exhibition, extending a warm welcome to all present, particularly to the delegation from the Republic of Greece, which serves as the guest of honor for this edition of the exhibition. In his opening remarks, His Highness stated, “I express my gratitude to God Almighty and seek His forgiveness, as well as His guidance and strength to enable us to pursue initiatives that are beneficial and valuable to our esteemed Arab and Islamic nation.”
His Highness the Ruler has bestowed the honor of "Cultural Personality of the Year" upon the esteemed Egyptian writer and playwright Mohamed Salmawy during the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair. This recognition underscores his significant literary achievements and his substantial contributions to the fields of theater, literature, and Arab cultural endeavors.
His Highness also honored translator Dr Ondřej Ondřej Beránek, winner of the "Tarjuman" award for his translation of "Ibn Fadlan's Epistle" from Arabic into Czech, published by Academia Publishing House. Organized by the Sharjah Book Authority, the award is the largest of its kind globally, valued at AED 1.4 million, and is granted to the best translation of an original Arabic book into a foreign language.
During the opening ceremony, His Highness signed copies of his latest publication, "The Compendium of the Histories of the Arabian Peninsula and Persia 1622 CE to 1810 CE." This work meticulously documents a significant historical period in the region, as documented through recorded events in annals.
In the issuance of this work, His Highness drew upon a diverse array of documents sourced from several documentation centers. These include materials in English, Dutch, French, and Ottoman languages, as well as Portuguese documents referenced in His Highness's earlier publication, *The Portuguese in the Sea of Oman*. His Highness took meticulous care to arrange and classify the documents, a process that spanned approximately 40 years. Furthermore, he undertook the translation of these documents from their original languages into Arabic. The documents encompass a wide range of events that occurred in the Arabian Peninsula and Persia, derived from various sources. Additionally, the publication features a comprehensive guide at the conclusion of each volume, facilitating the search for specific information. Footnotes accompany the documents to provide further context and references.
Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority, delivered a speech in which he announced that the Sharjah International Book Fair had ranked first among book fairs worldwide for the fifth year in a row, stressing that all of Sharjah’s cultural achievements, and the status the fair has attained, would not have been possible without the vision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, who did not allow a session of the fair to be absent no matter how the circumstances changed.
In his address regarding the “Cultural Personality of the Year,” the esteemed writer Mohamed Salmawy remarked, “Sharjah has honored me, along with all Arab intellectuals, by recognizing the significance of literature through its longstanding celebration of thought and knowledge, which has spanned over four decades. The emirate has further demonstrated its commitment to our cultural heritage by establishing museums, conducting exhibitions, and organizing conferences and seminars that highlight both our ancient legacy and our contemporary artistic endeavors. It has embraced culture in a profound way, thereby justifiably achieving its status as one of the foremost centers of cultural influence within our Arab homeland.”
During the 44th edition of the exhibition, Jason Fotilas, the Deputy Minister of Culture of the Hellenic Republic (Greece), delivered the guest of honor address, conveying his profound appreciation and gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. He remarked, “The historical ties between Greece and the Arab world span several centuries. Throughout this period, our civilizations have encountered one another, exchanging inspiration through the realms of ideas, arts, and sciences, as well as philosophy, poetry, and creative imagination. These interactions have persisted through time and continue to flourish in our mutual reverence for heritage and our collective vision for the future. The friendship between our two nations is grounded in mutual respect and understanding and is exemplified today through the distinguished cooperation between our leaderships and governments—a cooperation that becomes increasingly robust and well-established with each passing year.”
Following the opening ceremony, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah conducted a tour of the exhibition halls, where he received a comprehensive briefing from Sheikha Bodour regarding the number of participating pavilions, institutions, organizations, and publishing houses, as well as the offerings of the current session, which spans a duration of 12 days.
His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad commenced his tour by visiting the pavilion of Greece, designated as the guest of honor for this year’s exhibition. He received an in-depth explanation of the pavilion's contributions during this session and gained insights into the prominent activities and events planned in conjunction with Greece's honored status at the exhibition.
His Highness visited the Al Qasimi Publications pavilion, which prominently features His Highness’s literary works. During this visit, he signed a copy of his most recent publication, titled “The Compendium of the Histories of the Arabian Peninsula and Persia 1622 CE to 1810 CE.” Additionally, His Highness was informed about the exhibits presented by the Sharjah Arabic Language Academy, highlighting its most significant scientific and linguistic initiatives.
Please click here to read His Highness' statement on this occasion.