International Children's Book Day (ICBD) Celebration
Since 1967, on or around Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, 2 April, International Children’s Book Day…
Since 1967, on or around Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, 2 April, International Children’s Book Day…
In line with its mission to develop the children’s book industry in the United Arab…
The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s literature was launched in 2009. It aims to provide…
Hans Christian Anderson Awards Every other year IBBY presents the Hans Christian Andersen Award to…
Keeping with the UAEBBY’s goal to bring children and books together, as well as seeing…
About the Sharjah/IBBY Fund for Children in Crisis On April 23, 2012 the UAE Board…
Jointly launched by the UAEBBY and Goethe-Institut Gulf Region, ‘Books – Made in UAE’ aims…
The UAEBBY’s “Guest of Honour” initiative, which began in 2015, seeks to cultivate new relationships…
In 2013, the UAEBBY launched ‘Read, Dream, Create’ campaign to encourage interaction between children and…
A child who loves books will develop better verbal skills
A child who reads will be able to express opinions
A child who reads will learn to be self-assured
Reading enhances critical thinking
Books can help to give a child that is growing up in adverse surroundings a better quality of life
Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, has inaugurated the third edition of International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)’s Silent Book Exhibition today (Monday), at the Zayed Central Library, Al Ain City, which will be the travelling exhibition’s home in the UAE until October 18. Organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and sponsored by Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT), the exhibition seeks to educate the country’s citizens and residents, especially children, about silent books and their role in enhancing creativity, visual literacy and critical thinking, and connecting people around the world. The opening ceremony was attended by Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY, The opening ceremony was attended by Marwa Obaid Al Aqroubi, President of the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY); Abdulla Majid Al Ali, Acting Executive Director of Dar Al Kutub (the National Library Sector) at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi; Sheikha Al Muhairi, Director of the Libraries Department; Jumaa Al Dhahri, Manager of Zayed Central Library, in addition to a number of publishing experts and media representatives. Eight first-edition homegrown Emirati titles part of the 82-title collection Eight local titles representing the first in the genre produced in the UAE have been selected by UAEBBY to join 74 more from 20 countries worldwide, including Spain, Australia, Jordan, Brazil, Denmark, Turkey, Slovenia, Finland, Sweden, Germany, UK, USA, Japan, Italy, Belgium, France, Canada, Hungary, Argentina and Holland. This collection of Emirati silent books is an outcome of a creative workshop the UAEBBY organised for Emirati children’s book illustrators and designers on the sidelines of the second edition it hosted last year, to further its efforts to stimulate the production of wordless picture books, locally. A unique cultural message by the UAE In bringing these unique titles to audiences in Al Ain, the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi aims to present a valuable opportunity to children, especially those who have reading difficulties or a lower access to books. The department also seeks to heighten people’s awarenesss about the silent books genre in the UAE; its contributions to increasing visual literacy, sparking imaginations, and transcending language or cultural barriers, whilst also highlighting the UAE’s contributions to the field. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Patron of the UAEBBY observed: "By organising the IBBY's third Silent Book Exhibition here in the UAE, the UAEBBY seeks to strongly portray our national vision - one that is aimed at promoting creativity and knowledge in children and youth, and teach them about the central role of books in driving fundamental and positive transformation in society.” "As the national section of the IBBY, the UAEBBY is continually promoting this wonderful genre of illustration-only books in the UAE and the region in line with the organisation's key cultural aspirations. Silent books transcend language barriers to open new doors of cross-cultural understanding and appreciation, which swing wide. This inspirational quality offered by silent books is especially effective when used as an edutainment tool to develop competencies of refugee children, enhance their access to knowledge and their experiences of interacting with books in general." Sheikha Bodour added. H.E. Al Kaabi praised the efforts of the UAEBBY to develop children’s talents and personalities by encouraging a love of reading and an appreciation of arts and cultural diversity. Her Excellency highlighted that the Silent Book Exhibiton contributes to stimulating creativity and unleashing the imagination of both children and adults by delivering the message of art in a unique and innovative way. She pointed out that the human values and aesthetic images present in visual arts reflect artists' feelings and ideas and allow more space for audience imagination. Art is a universal language that everyone can understands, regardless of their language or culture. HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “By hosting the 3rd Silent Book Exhibition, we demonstrate DCT Abu Dhabi’s commitment to cultural enhancement. Additionally, by offering these books to those children with reading difficulties, the exhibition raises public awareness across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain regarding this rich art form, empowering readers to use the power of their imagination to create their own texts by drawing on featured images and drawings.” “We are proud to see the publications of Emirati writers in this exhibition, highlighting the contributions of the UAE in this field,” Ghobash added. About the Silent Book Exhibition The Silent Books project started out as an initiative by the International Board on Books for young People (IBBY), themed ‘Silent Books, from the world to Lampedusa and back,’ in 2012 in Lampedusa, the largest Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. It aims to comfort thousands of young refugees who were coming into Europe from Africa and the Middle East. The project included the establishment of the first library in Lampedusa to be used by local and refugee children. The second part of the project included the creation of a collection of silent books (illustration-only or wordless books) that children can understand and enjoy regardless of their language. The ‘Silent books. Final destination Lampedusa’ – promoted by the Italian section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) – collected the best wordless books for children. This collection included illustrated wordless books to tell stories that words can not express. They are full of emotions, dreams and memories stemming from the silence of their characters. Silent books transcend the barriers of language and bring people from different cultures together. This collection of books are maintained in the archives of the exhibition hall, the Cultural Center and the Italian Museum (Palazzo della Esposizioni). A second set of books was handed over to the library in Lampedusa and another set was part of a traveling exhibition. So far, there are three sets of silent books, the 2013 silent book collection of 110 books travelled across Italy, Mexico, Canada, Austria and Germany, with plans for other exhibitions in Belgium and France. The 2015 silent book collection included 51 books, It was introduced in Italy, New Zealand and United Arab Emirates. The third collection, themed ‘The traveling exhibition of the silent book collection of 2017’ was launched in Lampedusa. It took up residence in Greece before making an onward journey to the UAE.
The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY), the United Arab Emirate’s national section of International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), have flown to Brazil with a number of folk tales and silent books from the emirates, to share them at one of the Latin world most prominent cultural events, the 25th Sao Paulo International Book Fair. The UAEBBY organised two discussion sessions on folk tales and silent books (Known in Brazil as Imagine Books) as part of Sharjah’s cultural programme at the publishing biennial, which celebrated the emirate and its cultural achievements as the fair’s Guest of Honour. The first session investigated the history of folk tales in UAE’s oral tradition, its sources and types. Moderated by Marwa Obaid Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY, the panel comprised HE Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Musallam, Chairman of Sharjah Institute for Heritage; Marco Haurélio, author and Brazilian folk tales specialist. The session investigated characteristics of folk tales, and offered the audience a detailed account of the types that originated in the UAE and the role it plays in fostering the values that were instilled in local community. The similarities between folk tales and heritage stories from around the world, and its diverse representations within the cultural context of a community and nation were also highlighted. The panel shed light on the role played by the UAEBBY in documenting and publishing folk tales, and underscored the timeless educational and cultural value of folklore in the way it is passed down to every generation, which forms common bonds of identity and community ethics based on their positive values and messages. The panel on ‘Silent Books’ featured Emirati author and publisher Dr. Alyazia Alsuwaidi; illustrator Maya Fidaoui and Brazilian illustrator, Roseangela Bizerra. The session was moderated by Brazilian publisher, Karine Pansa. They highlighted the key role of these illustration-only books in sparking children’s imagination and enhancing their capabilities. The session discussed the reasons behind the popularity of imagine books in Brazil, and how to make the most of it in educating kids in general, and its impact on refugee children’s education. The audiences engaged with both sessions and noted that a boost to the imagine books’ production will play a key role in enabling the publishing sector achieve its targeted objectives at cultural, humanitarian and commercial levels. Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY said: “Sharjah’s participation at the Sao Paulo Book Biennial is another big effort by the emirate to build bridges of communication between cultures and promote cultural dialogue among civilisations. The UAEBBY is committed to representing the UAE at all international cultural events, and highlighting its achievements in children’s literature at national and regional levels. We are also shedding light on the UAE’s cultural initiatives and efforts to promote the publishing industry and foster exchanges among different peoples and civilizations.” She explained that their participation is in line with Sharjah’s efforts to strengthen cultural cooperation between Brazil and the UAE, and offer Latin American publishers an opportunity to learn about the enormous potential of the UAE’s publishing market, as well as the history and authenticity of the UAE in general and Sharjah in particular. “We wanted to also highlight the emirate’s role in supporting imagine books industry as part of its efforts to promote cultural appreciation and humanitarian work,” Al Aqroubi added. UAEBBY is the national branch of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). Operating in more than 77 countries, IBBY is the main board based in Switzerland and founded in 1953. The organisation is an international network of institutions and individuals from around the world who are committed to promoting and encouraging the culture of reading and bringing children and books together.
The UAE has just achieved a new literary milestone by bringing out its first three home grown silent books. Supported by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY), the three Emirati wordless picture books elevate the UAE’s international stature as a hub of literary innovation and appeal, especially in the children’s books industry. The three titles include ‘Night and Day’ written by Emirati writer and illustrator Alia Al Shamsi, and published by Al Hudhud Publishing and Distribution; and ‘Fly’ written and illustrated by Alia Al Badi, and published by Al Fulk Translation and Publishing. In addition to ‘Oh! Its Becoming Bigger’, written and illustrated by Aisha Al Badi and published by Al Fulk Translation and Publishing. The three books signal the fruition of a series of training workshops the UAEBBY hosted as part of the UAE’s first-ever Silent Book Exhibition it held last year, which saw the participation of numerous Emirati and Arab authors and illustrators interested to create original material in the genre of wordless picture books, which was an uncharted literary territory in the UAE until now. The UAEBBY’s support to these books is in line with its commitment to develop the capabilities of illustrators and writers of children’s literature in the UAE, and encourage them to enrich their knowledge and experience in the field by motivating them to explore story ideas that resonate with children’s imaginations regardless of their language or reading abilities. Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY, said: “We are happy to have facilitated the release of the first Emirati silent books, which are such a powerful medium of communication with children, no matter their age, background or literacy levels. The images in these books spark children’s imaginations and are open to their unique interpretation. We hope this initiative will motivate several other Emirati writers and illustrators to give these kinds of books with unrivalled human and social dimensions a try, and through their work, they will help build bridges between diverse civilisations and cultures.” The Silent Books project started out as an initiative by the International Board on Books for young People (IBBY), themed ‘Silent Books, from the world to Lampedusa and back,’ in 2012 in Lampedusa, the largest Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea and the prime gateway for African and Middle Eastern refugees making their way into Europe. The initiative was aimed at providing refugee children on the island with a collection of wordless picture books to flip through, interact with and enjoy, irrespective of their mother tongue. The UAEBBY has organised several workshops to support and encourage Emirati illustrators to produce high-quality silent books. The recently concluded 7th edition of Books – Made in UAE, a cultural initiative organised in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region in and sponsored by Knowledge without Borders, brought together 13 Emirati and UAE-based illustrators and artists to learn more about how they can create their own silent books. These efforts align with UAEBBY’s vision and belief in the importance of wordless picture books in bringing world’s people closer together, conveying humanistic values to the cultures of the world, and spreading the messages of love and peace. UAEBBY is the national branch of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). Operating in more than 77 countries, IBBY is the main board based in Switzerland and founded in 1953. The organisation is an international network of institutions and individuals from around the world who are committed to promoting and encouraging the culture of reading and bringing children and books together.
Building on the success of ten years celebrating books for children and young people, the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature, organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People UAEBBY and sponsored by Etisalat Group, has announced it is now accepting submissions for the 2018 edition by international authors, publishers, illustrators and interactive application developers for books written in Arabic. Contestants have until the end of August to submit their applications under its six categories, with prize money amounting to AED 1.2 million to be presented to the winners at the opening ceremony of the 37th edition of Sharjah International Book Fair on 31 October 2018. All Arabic and international publishing houses can enter the competition provided that the book is written in Arabic, is not translated or quoted. It must target children and young people up to 18 years old and should be published by a registered publishing house or institution and not individually issued. It should also be printed and published in hard copy and not have previously won any local, Arab or international award. Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY, said: “The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature has motivated authors, illustrators and publishers to offer premium books for children and has succeeded in encouraging youngsters to read more for a decade. “The 10th edition of the award aims to attract more creative minds to join us in our quest to improve the level of the children’s book industry by offering more books written in Arabic for young people. We are also looking to motivate app developers and designers to focus more on children by offering reading and entertainment tools designed especially for them.” To apply and for more information about the terms and conditions for all categories, please visit the website www.etisalataward.ae The phrase ‘Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature’ should appear on the envelope containing the entries, all envelopes should be sent to the following address: Al Qasba – Block D – First Floor – Office 45 P.O. Box: 1421 - Sharjah – United Arab Emirates Tel +971 6 5542111 Fax +971 6 5542345 Mobile: + 971 56 1187888 E-mail: info@uaebby.org.ae The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature features six categories: Children’s Book of the Year, worth AED 300,000, to be distributed equally between the publisher, author and illustrator; Young Adult Book of the Year, worth AED 200,000, to be distributed equally between the author and publisher; Best Text; Best Illustration; Best Production; and Digital Book App of the Year, which are each worth AED 100,000. As part of the Award’s ‘Warsha’ programme, an additional AED 300,000 will be dedicated to workshops for nurturing young Arabs’ ability to write and illustrate children’s books. The Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature was launched in 2009 as an initiative by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Patron of the UAEBBY. Sponsored by Etisalat Group, it aims to raise the overall quality of Arabic literature by introducing a high value award recognising outstanding contributions in the field. Over the past 10 years, the award has supported the Arabic children’s book industry around the world by positioning the industry as a pivotal contributor to community culture and demonstrated that books continue to be a principal product amid the diverse electronic alternatives available today. The award has also driven Arabic language children's publishers, writers and illustrators around the world towards best practices and increased innovation.
13 Emirati and UAE-based artists embarked on an exciting creative journey to learn more about the technical and emotional aspects of illustrations in silent books for children, as part of their participation at the seventh edition of ‘Books – Made in UAE’ – an annual cultural collaboration between the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and Goethe-Institut Gulf Region. The four-day workshop was recently held at 1971 Design Space at Sharjah’s Flag Island, where participants were invited to think up stories connected with a personal life experience, exchange ideas, and learn how to illustrate in a convincing way for children. As the workshop conductor, multi-award winning German illustrator Katrin Stangl assisted participants to work on the visualisation of their story, their personal drawing style and techniques, to finally enable each artist to complete their storyline and bring the first few scenes to life on two double-pages in full colour. Speaking about her experience at the workshop, Stangl said: “Storytelling is a historical traditional pastime, and the inherent narrative power of images can bridge cultural and linguistic barriers. Through initial warm-up drawings and one-on-one meetings with the participants, my aim was to help the artists bring their silent book ideas to life. “As we walked through the different stages of the workshop, some of my works were passed around and analysed by the participating artists to find answers to questions like: what kind of storytellers they are, what characters, settings, picture language, or technique they would like to use to create their story, and in what ways would they like children to connect with these narratives.” One of the workshop participants, Khadija Al Mulla, a 26-year-old Emirati national said: “I started illustrating when I was quite young, and I love illustrating for children. I want more UAE locals to illustrate for children and I would love to see more authentic children’s literature to being produced here, seeped in our cultural and human values and conveyed to the younger generations in creative and engaging ways. I believe locally made books will be a source of pride and knowledge for children in the UAE, and will definitely enrich our literary landscape.” “I’m here to gain an insight about the mentality of illustrators, to learn about what to have in mind while illustrating for children, what are things that are appealing to them, things one should avoid… what is most appealing to the publishers, let’s say. I won’t reveal much about my book idea, but all I will say is that it is focuses on the human emotion of greed, and how children can avoid it.” Another workshop participant, 32-year-old Asma Enayeh, a mother of two young girls says that for young children pictures are the pillars of the story. For her, illustrations are the starting point of learning and communication for children as pictures help them explore their surroundings, and bring them into contact with objects that they don’t necessarily understand but open possibilities for them to be creative and build dreams. “I have been working as a freelance artist in Dubai for six years working on custom portraits, and children’s illustrations are my greatest passion. I want turn this into a full-time profession and, as I am a traditionalist – I like to sketch by hand. Thus, I have been attending programmes and workshops that can hone my traditional drawing skills. This workshop is of immense value to me as it is focusing on teaching us a variety of drawing techniques that I didn’t know existed. Today, for example, Katrin taught us the hatching technique on acrylic, and I decided my silent book will be based on this technique.” The annual UAEBBY and Goethe-Institut Gulf Region project, sponsored by Sharjah-based cultural initiative Knowledge without Borders, brings international experts to the UAE to expand the reach and ability of Emirati authors and illustrators of children’s books.
The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and Goethe-Institut Gulf Region have announced that the 7th edition of their annual cultural collaboration, ‘Books – Made in UAE’, will focus on silent books, highlighting their effectiveness as a mine of information and imagination. The textless books are proving to be more popular and more powerful than ever before in helping to stimulate children’s imaginations, as both the quantity of its practitioners and the quality of their creations increases. A four-day workshop for 13 UAE-based artists will be conducted by multi-award winning German illustrator Katrin Stangl at the 1971 Design Space at Sharjah’s Flag Island from 5 – 8 May 2018, where the participants will be given the opportunity to develop their own silent book ideas. The annual UAEBBY and Goethe-Institut Gulf Region project, sponsored by Sharjah-based cultural initiative Knowledge without Borders, brings international experts to the UAE to expand the reach and ability of Emirati authors and illustrators of children’s books. In the run-up to the workshop, the participants have been encouraged to think about topics that are connected to their everyday lives, such as special days celebrated in the UAE, animals living in a desert environment, myths, legends, individual experiences, famous places, or a collection of ideas and topics as well as a story. The workshop advice to students is to think ‘small and simple’ because the pictures will tell the true story and provide all the content that is needed. Author and illustrator Katrin Stangl has won a host of some of the world’s most respected accolades including the Hans-Meid-Preis für Buchillustration and received the bronze medal in the “Schönste Bücher aus aller Welt” (World’s Most Beautiful Books). Her latest publications, ‘Die Hauskatze ist selten eine Weiße’ (The Cat is Seldom White), and ‘Schwimmt Brot in Milch?’ (Does Bread Swim in Milk?), have received rave reviews. Ms Stangl will work with the students on their drawing techniques and give them advice for drafting and finishing the pages. By the end of the course, every participant will have a complete storyline and at least two double-pages in full color. Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY, said: “Silent books are an excellent medium to inspire children to use their imaginations, conveying a story in its simplest terms without the need for text to portray the same plots, messages and characters. “Pictures and illustrations are universal, which not only helps the children to comprehend the stories relevant to their own community, it opens the doors and bridges the gaps to other cultures. By attending these workshops, the talented artists will be able to understand the concepts and intricacies of storytelling without words and use that experience to produce their own work.” Highlighting the importance of the UAEBBY and Goethe-Institut collaboration, Fareed Majari, General Manager of the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region, said: “The ‘Books – Made in UAE’ initiative is a wonderful chance to reinforce the relationship between German and UAE culture and enjoy a partnership where both nations can benefit from the others’ experience. The Gulf region is particularly important in helping us to continue that mutual cooperation, especially in Sharjah where this project has enabled us to work with some of the most talented up-and-coming artists looking to make their own mark in children’s literature.” The English language workshop runs with an all day schedule from 9:30am-4:30pm. ‘Books – Made in UAE’ supports the development of a sustainable local children’s book industry by training young and aspiring authors and illustrators in the creative process of producing children’s books in Emirati Arabic language. A group of the world’s leading authors and illustrators have participated in organising the project’s workshops in previous years. By 2013, six books, which were produced in the workshops were published and sold. In 2016, the project saw the publication of two books that were created in the 2014 workshops.
‘Books-Made in the UAE’, a joint cultural project between the UAE Boards on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region, have participated at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), which was inaugurated yesterday (Wednesday, April 25) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The participation forms part of the project’s endeavours to contribute to developing the skills of local writers and illustrators and encourage the development of Emirati-made children’s books, with texts and illustrations reflecting the cultural values and interests of Emirati children. On the sidelines of its participation, ‘Books-Made in the UAE’ organised an interactive discussion, highlighting 15 heritage-themed stories for children and young adults by 10 local writers and illustrators who were part of the project’s sixth edition, which was rolled out recently at the Maraya Art Centre in Sharjah. The construction of these stories have followed a series of workshops, which their authors underwent during the programme under the supervision of well-known German children’s book author and illustrator Ute Krause. The 15 stories are part of a collection titled “Once Upon a Time” that was introduced to children in a series of reading sessions at the Tales under the Tent area at ADIBF 2018. The presentation of the stories such as Umm Al Habban, Khonfor Zonfor, Badiha Badihoo and Enteifan allowed the authors to receive valuable feedback about their work from their primary target audience - children. The session addressed the importance of preserving cultural heritage by reviving oral narrative traditions and discussed the main ideas that form Emirati heritage stories. It also shed light on the advice and guidelines that the writers and illustrators received during their participation at the ‘Books - Made in UAE’ workshops, and how they can be applied to enhance the quality of books to attract young Arabic readers. Launched in 2011, the ‘Books – Made in UAE’ project aims to encourage talented Emirati authors and illustrators to develop their skills in writing and illustrating children’s books and promote their works in the UAE and beyond. It also seeks to inspire writers and artists to produce books that reflect Emirati cultural values and national identity through valued content and attractive images that captivate children and stimulate their imagination. The UAEBBY is the national branch of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a non-profit organisation that represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together. IBBY aims to o promote international understanding through children's books, give children everywhere the opportunity to have access to books with high literary and artistic standards, provide support and training for those involved with children and children's literature. The UABBY seeks to ensure children’s access to books, encourage the publication and distribution of quality children's books and promoting reading and children’s books.
The ‘Read, Dream, Create' campaign (RDC), an initiative of the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) to nurture a new generation of young readers, has organised a diverse range of interactive activities and workshops at UAEBBY’s Stand at the 10th edition of the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival (SCRF), at Expo Centre Sharjah. The activities include a workshop titled ‘How to Write a Story’, which shows children all the elements needed to author a great book, including forming characters, plots and sequences of events, stimulating their imaginations and enriching their tales with new adventures. During the session, a story, ‘Cotton Cloud’, was read to children, who were then asked to play the roles of the characters. Another RDC workshop, ‘A Journey with Thinking Skills’, teaches children how to distinguish between fact, fiction and opinion. The youngsters engaged in a range of interactive activities, such as decorating paintings with coloured sand and seashells, making ceramic candlesticks and 3D pens, creating bookmarks using dried flowers and producing book models using coloured flour to inspire their artistic and creative talents. The campaign also organised a host of story readings from Kalimat publications, including ‘A Rocket to Space’, ‘High and Far’, ‘Melia the Giraffe’ and ‘The Tree of Memories”. SCRF, which is being held under the theme ‘Your Future… Just a Book Away’, concludes tomorrow (Saturday). Launched by the UAEBBY in 2013, the Read, Dream, Create campaign aims to bring young people and books together and promote the importance of reading among all members of the Emirati community, particularly children. It also aims to develop the capabilities of children and young adults in reading and writing, encourage them to read, innovate and create, as well as hone their writing skills and transform their ideas into engaging, well written stories. The campaign has sought to encourage all community segments to participate and volunteer in the reading events it has organised.
The Consul General of Italy in Dubai and Northern Emirates, Valentina Setta, has opened the first Italian library in UAE. The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) contributed several books to the library, which will form part of the International Concept for Education campus. Attending the opening from Italy were Dr. Marcella Terrusi, representative of the Italy Board on Books for Young People (IBBY Italy), the 2018 Guest of Honour Country of the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY), Elena Pasoli, Manager of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair Grazia Gotti, children’s books expert, Co-founder of the children’s bookshop Giannino Stoppani, children’s author, Beatrice Masini and children’s book illustrator, Andrea Antinori. The UAEBBY Guest of Honour programme this year was organised in collaboration with the Italian General Consulate in the UAE, and ICE Dubai. Dr Terrusi spoke at the opening of the importance of the library and how its founding will bring closer cultural ties to both nations. Dr. Terrusi added that while UAEBBY was a relatively young chapter of the International Board on Books for Young People, its enthusiasm, ambition and significant achievements through it projects and campaigns had been an inspiration to other branches of the organisation. She also emphasised the common goal of bringing children and books together to create a generation of avid readers. As this year’s Guest of Honour, IBBY Italy has had an excellent opportunity to connect with the Italian community in the UAE and has played a prominent role in the 10th Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF), which runs until April 28 at Expo Centre Sharjah. Forming part of the Guest of Honour programme during SCRF, Beatrice Masini, said that cultural ties with the UAE are closer than ever before. Widely recognised as one Italy’s most talented and prolific writers, publishers and translators of books for children and young adults, the literary expert described the cultural interaction between her home country and the UAE as a highly important relationship that both nations can nurture and cherish. Ms Masini, who translated five of the Harry Potter books into Italian, is also a representative of Italy IBBY and was invited to the UAE following UAEBBY’s participation at the 55th edition of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, one of the publishing world’s most important events. Following a storytelling session and book signing event at SCRF for students from the International Concept for Education, Ms Masini said: “It is extremely important to interact with other nations and see new perspectives, and I believe the cultural links we share with the UAE are becoming closer than ever. “As a publisher as well as an author, I can also see that there are closer ties in trade terms as well and that is a relationship which can also bring us together on another level.” Also participating in the Guest of Honour programme, the published illustrator Andrea Antinori, who won the highly-prized ‘Best Book for 6-9 year olds’ award at Bologna, held specialised workshops at the UAEBBY stand at the festival and joined Ms Masini for the book signing. It is their books which will be donated to the Italian library by UAEBBBY following SCRF, where they are on display until the festival concludes. Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY’s Executive Board, said: “Italy has always been one of the great seats of western literature and we are delighted to see the first ever Italian library in Dubai. The nation’s passion for literature and art is contagious and we have seen the children at the reading festival completely enchanted during the storytelling. “This is an excellent chance for our guests to interact with the young UAE audience and gain insights into their reading preferences and habits, helping them to gauge the similarities and opportunities that such close cultural ties provide. “For academics and publishers too, this is very much a two-way relationship to discuss challenges and opportunities and share their knowledge and experiences.” In hosting the Italian delegation as Guests of Honour at SCRF, the UAEBBY inspires local talent to explore new literature, promote reading across the UAE’s many diverse communities and advocate the rights of children to a general education that includes direct access to information. Operating in more than 77 countries, IBBY is the main board based in Switzerland and founded in 1953. The organisation is an international network of institutions and individuals from around the world who are committed to promoting and encouraging the culture of reading and bringing children and books together.
Through its Guest of Honour (GoH) programme at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) every year, the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) has been furthering its efforts to enrich the local literary and cultural landscape through international exchange with national sections of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) around the world. IBBY Italy is under the spotlight at SCRF 2018, and rolled out the first few activities part of the GoH cultural programme Yesterday. The highlight of the day was a discussion titled ‘The Children’s Book Culture in Italy’ featuring Dr Marcella Terrusi, Representative of the IBBY Italy, and award-wining author of the first international critique on silent books and researcher on ‘silent’ or wordless books and children’s literature; Elena Pasoli, Manager of Bologna Children’s Book Fair; children’s book expert, Grazia Gotti, and Emirati author and illustrator, Alia Al Shamsi. Much of the discussion revolved around how IBBY Italy, one of the first sections of the international organisation since its establishment in 1953 and reformation in 2003 with the support of Bologna University and a central role played by Gotti, has supported reading promotion initiatives with a particular attention to remote or disadvantaged areas, alongside promoting the work of the best Italian authors, illustrators, translators and editors, by nominating them to the prestigious international awards such as the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the IBBY Honour List, the Biennial of Illustrations of Bratislava and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Highlighting the importance of illustrations in children’s books, irrespective of the era they were written in, Gotti said: “I would like to mention the Adventures of Pinocchio, which wasn’t a literary novel but just a tale in a children’s magazine. It took Italy time to realise that it was seeing a masterpiece in the making. There was no king or queen, just a wooden doll with a long nose. His iconic illustrations depict the passage of time, technological developments, the transformation of images from black and white to colour, and so on. In essence, what I am saying is, the language of images is as old and culturally important as the written novel itself.” “We have met some close friends and made some new ones in just one day here in Sharjah. The introduction of IBBY Italy in the UAE is the start of a new era of cultural collaboration between the two nations, and we have a lot of work to do together. To me this story is an endless story; it is a story of hope,” she added. Elena Pasoli shed light on the role of IBBY Italy in helping Bologna Book Fair become one of the most prominent literary events for children in the western world. She said: “Bologna Book Fair was established in 1964. The two organisations, Bologna Book Fair and IBBY Italy are somehow sisters. We have learnt a lot from them; the fact that they were involved with the fair from the very beginning helped us understand the importance of a dialogue between cultures. Today, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair is not just about the business of selling and exchanging copyrights. It is a meeting place for ideas, for the birth of new projects, and a lot more about the cultural side of literature and society.” Terrusi too highlighted the importance of pictures in children’s books, and took the audience through a series of illustrations which were contributed by leading Italian artists to IBBY Italy. “Through claims like ‘with books you grow up’, by authors like Beatrice Masini who is part of the Italian delegation to the UAE this year helped, or ‘with books we grow up free’, IBBY Italy express itself and reach out to the international community,” she said. Terrusi added: “The central idea of IBBY Italy is to build bridges between cultures, a goal we share with the UAEBBY, to build tools and exchange stories in order to build a new world. Being the guest of honour in Sharjah is historic for us.” Al Shamsi said she was brought up in a multicultural environment from an early age when her mother of Italian origin gave her a copy of Pinocchio to read in Arabic. She said: “We see silent books as a bridge between cultures as they encourage every child to celebrate their individual interpretation and tell the stories as they see them. Currently, we are working on stories that have their basis in the Arabic heritage and at the same time appeal to young sensibilities. I thank the UAEBBY for all their efforts. I hope they will be able to contribute more effectively to the silent books landscape locally and regionally by encouraging more authors and illustrators to create content in this genre of literature.” Lecture on Silent Books by Dr Marcella Terrusi at Sharjah University Another activity by IBBY Italy as part of the GoH programme was a lecture on silent books by Dr Terrusi that was delivered to students of the College of Fine Arts and Design at University of Sharjah. She said: “I had the honour and pleasure of being invited to the University of Sharjah. I was amazed by the architecture of the university – it really tells me something about the future of education and the new direction in which the world is going. I come from Bologna where the university of the west was born, so it was truly emotional for me to be able to see how much the institution has evolved. “The students I addressed were very interested in the subject of silent books, and what I did was give these students a little taste of what I do with bigger communities during wordless book reading sessions as a researcher of wordless books.” Upon being asked how does one read a wordless book, Terrusi remarked: “The physical book gives you direction. When you read what’s on a page and create your hypothesis, you know if you are right when you turn the page. You fill gaps in silent books with your own imagination, which is not much different from what you do in case of the written novel. Most importantly, what a wordless book does is change the hierarchy between readers. This is what I loved about my lecture this afternoon. Everyone contributed with their impressions and ideas, we co-constructed the meaning of several books that define the modern genre Italian wordless books.” The UAEBBY Guest of Honour programme is organised this year in partnership with the Italian General Consulate in the UAE, and ICE School Dubai. In hosting IBBY Italy as Guests of Honour at SCRF, the UAEBBY encourages new relationships with different sections of IBBY, inspires local talent to explore new literary cultures, and promotes a culture of reading across the UAE’s many diverse communities. The UAEBBY’s “Guest of Honour” initiative, which began in 2015 seeks to cultivate new relationships with different IBBY sections, allow local talent to learn from the experience of international experts, and encourage reading among UAE’s diverse communities. As it is known, the UAE is a multicultural country and this initiative hopes to embody this sprit. In April of each year, during the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, the UAEBBY hosts a different IBBY section. As a part of their visit they have their own section in the UAEBBY’s stand to display their work and do readings, workshops, and more. The guests include a writer, illustrator, and representative of the IBBY section. UAEBBY is the national branch of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). Operating in more than 77 countries, IBBY is the main board based in Switzerland and founded in 1953. The organisation is an international network of institutions and individuals from around the world who are committed to promoting and encouraging the culture of reading and bringing children and books together.
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