UAEBBY hosts its Greek counterpart at Sharjah Children's Reading Festival

The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) will host the Greek Board on Books for Young People (IBBY Greece) on the sidelines of the 15th edition of the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival (SCRF), which runs until Sunday evening, May 12. The hosting comes as part of the UAEBBY's annual ‘Guest of Honor’ initiative, through which the UAEBBY seeks to build bridges of communication with local chapters of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) around the world, enable Emirati talent to benefit from the skills and experiences of international experts, and encourage reading among the UAE community members. 

The IBBY Greece’s delegation includes: Dr. Katerina Dermata, a distinguished educator and scholar passionate about fostering learning and cultural enrichment, and member of the IBBY Greece; Maria Delaki, a highly regarded educator, author and educational expert who has been a regular jury member for competitions organized by IBBY Greece since she joined it as a member in 2017; Maria Papayanni, a versatile storyteller whose journey blends literature, journalism, and theatre, and has received numerous prestigious awards and accolades honoring her literary works that have promoted Greek literature; Filomila Vakali-Syrogiannopoulou, a dynamic creative talent, seamlessly blending writing and illustration to craft captivating worlds for young readers.

The ‘Guest of Honor’ program includes a busy four-day agenda, starting with IBBY Greece’s participation in the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, a series of meetings with representatives from a number of UAE cultural institutions including the UAE Publishers Association, Emirates Reprographic Rights Association, Sharjah International Literacy Agency (SILA), Kalimat Group and Kalimat Foundation, as well as visits to Sharjah Public Library, House of Wisdom, Louvre Abu Dhabi, and the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. The IBBY Greece will also present a number of reading sessions and book signing events during its presence at the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival as well as at the Pomegranate Institute in Dubai. 

"We are delighted to host our counterparts from the IBBY Greece in the UAE to introduce their impressive literature and culture, and to build bridges of communication and cooperation between them and all those interested in cultural and literary affairs in the UAE and the Arab world. Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY, said. “Through this hosting, we also seek to inform them about the progress we made in children's and young people's literature and the Arabic children's book industry, as well as organizing various activities and events that highlight the commonalities between Arab and Greek cultures, and the bonds that unite children's stories in different cultures, regardless of their language or time.” 

She added: "From May 16 to 19, we are set to participate in the Thessaloniki International Book Fair in Greece, which is hosting Sharjah as a guest of honor to showcase Emirati and Arabic cultures to visitors and participants from inside and outside Greece. Hosting the IBBY Greece in the UAE is only a prelude to further cooperation with Greek key players in cultural and literary fields, and we will be keen to explore ways to develop partnerships and organize events between the UAE and Greek branches of IBBY to enrich children's and young people's literature in the two friendly countries and develop the skills of authors, illustrators and publishers who share our passion for this interest." 

During the first and second day of the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, the IBBY Greece organized several events including reading sessions and art workshops. For its part, the UAEBBY held a number of reading sessions presented the Etisalat Arabic Children's Literature Award winner Egyptian author Haitham Al Sayed, entertaining children with many useful lessons and takeaways taken from amused stories. The Etisalat Children's Literature Award, organized by the UAEBBY and sponsored by e&, also saw a remarkable turnout of publishers at the SCRF 2024 to be briefed on the details of participating in the Award’s 16th edition, which includes five categories, with entries being accepted until the end of August.  

In 2015, the UAEBBY launched the 'Guest of Honor' initiative to build bridges with local chapters of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) around the world, enable Emirati talent to capitalize on the skills and experiences of international experts, and encourage reading among the UAE community. As a multicultural country, the UAE seeks to embody the spirit of multiculturalism and promote coexistence and openness to others. The UAEBBY dedicates a special section for the guest of honor to showcase its work at the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, organize story reading sessions, workshops and many other events.