Books – Made in UAE – 2013 Edition
In cooperation with Goethe-Institut Gulf Region, the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) continued the “Books – Made in UAE“ project which was launched in 2011 and resulted in the production and publication of seven new, 100 percent Emirati children’s books, “made in UAE“.
As part of the program of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2013 German fantasy writer Rainer Wekwerth held a workshop for ten Emirati Young Adult authors that focused on novels of the sci-fi and fantasy genre. Fantasy, dystopia and science fiction are popular genres among readers of the UAE and have attracted even reluctant readers to explore books and reading. For four days, participants were given the opportunity to work with Rainer Wekwerth on their book projects, discuss problems and challenges of writing for teenagers and exchange ideas in a friendly and supportive environment. Meetings with publishers and with Emirati sci-fi author Noura Al Noman as well as a panel discussion with herself and Rainer Wekwerth at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2013 rounded up the workshop.
Noura Al Khoori, who had earlier participated in writing workshops of the Goethe-Institut, said: “This workshop has helped to getting us closer to understand how to structure a novel and how to plan it properly from the start, with the added touch of sci-fi and fantasy elements. The instructor Rainer Wekwerth did a wonderful job of teaching us skills and giving tips to make writing a novel an exciting and fulfilling adventure for us writers.” And Alyazia AlSuwaidi added: “The Goethe-Institut has been always the door to the world for me! This time, they helped me to unleash my creativity in a whole new imaginative world!”
In the fall of 2013 the aspiring authors got the chance to discuss their texts in several workshops with Dr. Sattar Izwaini, Professor for Arabic Studies and Translation at the American University in Sharjah. Professor Izwaini imparted the most important basics of the Arabic language and explained with examples how to avoid problematic language structures.
Another workshop with Emirati author Noura Al Noman focusing on themes of the fantasy and science fiction genre again supported the Books – Made in UAE writers in their creative process.
“Books – Made in UAE” is organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region and sponsored by the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development and the Knowledge without Borders project.