Exhibitions
In 2017, the UAEBBY started organising annual book exhibitions with different focal themes. The aim…
In 2017, the UAEBBY started organising annual book exhibitions with different focal themes. The aim…
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
Exchanging Stories and Cultures: Children Brought together by the UAEBBY The ‘Read, Dream, Create’ Campaign (RDC) by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) used the long-cherished method of narrative on Saturday to engage Arab and Italian children, and help them develop an understanding and appreciation of other’s cultures. Children from the two nationalities were brought together at the Dubai Public Library in Mankhool for a series of interactive storytelling sessions featuring story collections in Italian and Arabic languages. These were conducted in Italian-language stories were read by HE Valentina Setta, Italian Consul General in Dubai and Northern Emirates, and the Arabic by Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY. While promoting cultural exchange between the UAE and Italy, the campaign’s main goal of bringing youngsters and books together was fulfilled. HE Valentina Setta said: “I would like to thank Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi for her continuous efforts in strengthening the cultural ties between Italy and UAE and in raising the awareness among the young children about the great importance of reading. The rich Italian and Arabic culture have so much to donate to the new generations and through these successful partnerships and initiatives, I am sure we will realize our mutual scopes in consolidating the human values furthermore; those values which are deeply rooted in both Italian and Arabic culture.” Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY, said: “In keeping with the UAEBBY’s vision, Read, Dream, Create Campaign has been working hard to present the allure of books to children in the most innovative ways. This stems from our belief that the book – even in a digital era – remains to be the life source of knowledge and holistic development.” Al Aqroubi added: “We have good ties and strategic cooperation with the Italian Consulate and the Italian Board on Books for Young People (Italy IBBY), which was celebrated as the UAEBBY’s Guests of Honour at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival 2018 (SCRF). This collaboration has successful led to the launch of a host of cultural projects.” At the end of the session, children were presented with several Kalimat–Gallucci publications including, My Feet by Lebanese author Fatima Sharafeddine; My Hands, a simple narrative about the usefulness of hands in our lives; and Close to My Home – a fun read about the important services and facilities in a neighborhood. Another book in the collection is about Ibn Sina, known as the greatest thinker, philosopher, scientist and physician of his time who made significant discoveries and contributions to the Islamic civilisation. The last one is titled, Aunt Osha, which is about a talkative woman of the same name. The story was also part of the readings, and was presented to the young listeners by Silvia Ciriello, Vice Consul at the Consulate General of Italy in Dubai.
Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature (EA), the most important children's literature prize in the Arab world, recently organised a three-day workshop on interactive media, during their participation at the Abu Dhabi Publishing Forum (ADPF) 2019, to develop the skills of children’s book app developers who participated in the Award’s 10th edition. Organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and sponsored by Etisalat Group, the 10th edition of Etisalat Award attracted 13 applications representing several countries in the region, including the UAE, KSA, Egypt, Lebanon and Kuwait. However, none of these entries won the Digital Book App of the Year category, as they were unable to meet the Award’s professional requirements. EA’s management then decided to channel the AED100,000 cash prize allocated for the 10th edition’s Digital Book App of the Year category to conduct this workshop, which aims to support children’s app developers and enhance their skills, enabling them to create interactive applications that meet the needs of children and young adults. Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY, said: “Technology has several unique characteristics, which can be harnessed to build learned individuals and elevate their knowledge. Hence, the focus on increasing the number of high-quality interactive applications for children by developing the skills and expertise of developers is a manifestation of Etisalat Award’s strategy of utilising latest technologies to promote reading habits in children in ways that are fun, interactive and engaging.” Linking popular learning theories with futuristic innovations The workshop discussed key children’s development and growth approaches, as well as the latest technologies utilised in designing and creating interactive applications dedicated to children’s Arabic books and children’s activities in different age groups. The workshop also addressed key children learning and acquisition theories, in addition to showcasing the interactive media application that was developed by Lamsa Company. The workshop was conducted by Badr Ward, CEO of Lamsa, the company that developed the application which won Etisalat Award’s Digital Book App of the Year category 2017, and a jury member of Etisalat Award’s 10th edition. He briefed the participants on the steps and techniques of developing interactive media applications and programmes, in Arabic, which considers the requirements of producing quality book apps that align with children’s learning capabilities and skills. The workshop focused on children’s learning mechanisms, the importance of self-motivation, cognitive development and constructivism theory of learning by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget and the impact of his theory on the art of app design. The workshop concluded with several recommendations to further the success of designing and developing children’s books apps. The factors taken into consideration are ideation, content creation, tying in the central message, illustrations and animation, music selection, and finally, app testing. Sponsored by Etisalat group and organised by the UAEBBY, Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature was launched to support and elevate children’s book industry in the Arab world and honours special titles that address topics the appeal to children’s interests and develop youth literature. It aims to motivate authors, illustrators and publishers to become more creative and innovative in Arabic children's books publishing field.
To improve Indian children’s access to books, the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY)’s Kan Yama Kan (KYK) initiative, has offered over 500 new books in literature, self-development, and more to the children of Naushera Mewat Public School, New Delhi, India. These books have added to the 2,000-book library that the KYK initiative established in 2017 in the school, in collaboration with Etihad Airways. The selection of books were made by the UAEBBY to serve as a source of knowledge, entertainment, enlightenment and psychological support. Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY and the rest of the UAEBBY delegation were welcomed into the school by a performance by the students, which was followed by books distribution among children. Marwa Al Aqroubi emphasised on the UAEBBY’s goal to bring children and books together, and help instill in them a love of reading and acquiring knowledge, and said the board’s participation in book fairs and other cultural events around the world similar help them reach their established targets through book donations and other cultural and literary activities. She said: “Our visit aligns with the UAEBBY’s strategy to improve children’s access to books worldwide, especially in areas affected by conflict and unrest, through the KYK initiative. We were delighted to see how much the library we established in 2017 has been used and appreciated by the students of Naushera Mewat School, and were happy to add more than 500 high-quality books to this collection. This new venture furthers our commitment to promoting a culture of reading by offering interesting books in a variety of genres to children.” “We also committedly follow-up on every initiative and project we launch in different communities around the world, as part of our commitment to ensure they have the intended impact, and also bring people together through books,” she 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.
As the 27th New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF 2019) focuses on increasing societal awareness about the special needs community being an integral part of community, the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) has hosted a panel discussion to attract the attention of publishers and cultural institutions on the need to strengthen efforts to produce more high-quality content for children with different disabilities. The panel titled ‘It’s Not a Magical Book’ was held at the Sharjah Pavilion on Monday (January 7), as part of the emirate’s participation as the books fair’s guest of honour and brought together Rawan Barakat from Jordan, who is dedicated to encouraging reading and appreciation of books in children, especially those who are visually impaired, and runs the Raneen Foundation; Mohamed Al Nabulsi from Sharjah Humanitarian City; child psychologist, writer and critic of children's books, Dr. Ira Saxena; and Virbala Rastogi, a social worker who has dedicated herself to supporting differently abled children in India. Talking about her experiences of working with children who are challenged by different disabilities, Rastogi observed: “Though there are several definitions of disability, I can just say that it’s a way of looking at people. I mainly work with children who have locomotive disability, or are impaired in their hearing, sight or speech. Just because most books are produced to serve mainstream readers, the needs of these children go unfulfilled. Not to say publishers, governments and NGOs worldwide haven’t come around to producing more accessible content in braille or other formats, but much is left to be desired by these children.” “For instance, braille books are too heavy to be carried home, and most of them are too expensive for the average income-group parent in India to purchase. So, accessibility to good-quality reading materials remains a big problem for this segment of children even today,” she added. Barakat went back to her life experiences, growing up as a visually impaired child in Jordan and the challenges she faced in accessing content she could read. “When I was a child, there was only one special primary school for visually challenged children that taught Braille. And audiobooks – they were unheard of. This was the main reason for me to start Raneen with my sister, because I wanted to bring stories alive for every child in the region who faced the same challenge as me.” Rawan emphasised the need to integrate mainstream ideas and themes that are presented to regular children in books, into literature created for children with disabilities “We need to ask ourselves - when we love, we all love the same way; when we fight, everyone, disabled or otherwise, feels the same emotions. So, while we do need different formats of presenting content to these children in a way they can access and enjoy, my question is – do we need different content altogether? I certainly don’t think so.” She also highlighted some of the biggest challenges that restrict the publication of content for children with special needs. These include, “high publication prices, lack of copyright security for such books, limited topics to talk about, and no special audiobooks applications for these children.” All panellists agreed that more discussions need to be had between special needs experts, publishers and authors and illustrators, to find a solution to these and other challenges. Al Nabulsi stressed on the need to use technology to benefit children with special needs. He said: “These children must be treated as equals, and one of the ways to do so is to introduce more technology-enabled and illustrations heavy books to schools libraries, so children with special needs can interact more with technology, while also benefit by its use and be on the same footing with their peers.” Dr. Saxena highlighted the need to portray young characters in books who face certain disabilities. “Differences, natural or otherwise, have always been a source of conflict. As an author myself, I feel it is the duty of the entire writing community who write for special children to make them the protagonists of their stories. It is when these children see themselves as the heroes of a story that they will realise that they are no different from another child. By bringing them to the mainstream, we will also be doing the important work of making communities more aware that people with special needs are an integral part of their families and society at large.”
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.
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