The Centre participates at one of the world’s biggest book fairs with a series of cultural events to expand its reach into international publishing markets

 The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism –  Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), is participating in the Frankfurt Book Fair 2022 as part of its mission to promote the Emirati publishing industry. Taking place from 19 to 23 October, this year’s fair takes place under the theme ‘Words connect worlds: Translate. Transfer. Transform’.

The Frankfurt Book Fair is one of the oldest and largest book fairs in the world. The ALC will be attending to expand its reach into promising international markets for publishing, as well as to promote the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) and other projects and cultural events it organises.

The Centre aims to strengthen strategic cooperation with its German partners, boost relations and communication with decision-makers in the publishing and cultural sectors, and explore the latest developments and technology.

The ALC aims to explore the latest trends in the publishing sector and creative industries, using the Frankfurt Book Fair to facilitate dialogue between publishers, content creators, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs across various creative disciplines. This supports the Centre’s efforts to drive the development of these cultural fields and creative industries related to publishing and books, which aims to advance, expand and empower cultural and creative sectors to be among the top 10 economic industries in the UAE in the future.

His Excellency Dr. Ali Bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said: “The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and the Frankfurt Book Fair have built a strong partnership that has endured for many years. Over the course of this collaboration, our two entities have worked together to strengthen and support the local, regional, and international cultural scene, enriching it with pioneering works, initiatives and projects. The fair offers an opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss significant developments, as well as current and potential challenges facing the international publishing sector, especially following the growth of digital technologies within the industry. It is also an ideal platform to discuss future trends and ways to achieve diversity, flexibility, and sustainability in the sector.”

The ALC’s agenda for the Frankfurt Book Fair includes a series of cultural and literary events, including a joint reception with the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA). This event will highlight the work of the award and its Translation Grant initiative, which supports the translation of SZBA shortlisted entries into other languages.

The Sheikh Zayed Book Award has previously announced its participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair, where it will organise discussion events including ‘From Coffeehouse to Internet: Arabic Literature in Transition’ and a session on ‘Growing the Book Business in the Arab World’. The SZBA will also showcase books it has recently translated through the Translation Grant, which it launched in 2018.

The ALC will also be launching a collection of music books from the ‘Pioneers Among Us’ series. The agenda also includes a session focussing on the book ‘A Panel Discussion and Reading Through the German Anthology’, which features a collection of 50 German poems about love from the 20th and 21st centuries that have been translated into Arabic, as well as another panel discussion titled ‘Prospects of Partnership between the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair and the Frankfurt Book Fair’.

As part of the ALC’s commitment to strengthening sustainable partnerships with Emirati publishers, Afra Mahmoud of Ghaf Publications and Hessa Al-Jaroudi of Madar Publishing and Distribution will be part of the Centre’s delegation in Frankfurt. To include other cultural and tourism elements, Louvre Abu Dhabi has also been invited to participate in the pavilion, where its representatives will present information about the museum and its publications.

This year’s Frankfurt Book Fair is set to welcome more than 2,000 exhibitors from about 150 countries. The Fair brings together publishing experts with partners from the creative industries sector, such as films and video games, to exchange ideas, seek inspiration, experiment with new technologies, and enhance communication.

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