[ad_1]
Al Ain, 1st November, 2022 (WAM) — The Abu Dhabi Arabic Centre, part of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, has announced the 13th edition of the Al Ain Book Festival (AABF), formerly known as the “Book Fair” It will be held from November 14th to 20th.
Sponsored by Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi’s representative in Al Ain, the event will be held for the first time in five locations in Al Ain, including Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Zayed Central Library, Qasr Al Muwaiji (Muwaiji Fort), Bait Mohammed Bin Khalifa and UAE University.
Under the slogan “All Eyes on Al Ain”, the campaign will return to the city known as the birthplace of the UAE’s founding father, the capital’s “Garden City” and home to the UAE’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites. With a new mission to not only illuminate Al Ain’s heritage and Emirati culture, but also to foster a culture of reading, the festival will celebrate the work of Emirati and Arab writers, creatives and intellectuals, past and present.
By changing the programme of events to cover literature, performance, music, film and sports, the festival will bring the story of the UAE to life and celebrate the Arabic language in all its forms. This ambitious programme will also celebrate stories and voices from beyond the UAE.
The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) with its strategic partners Al Ain Club and Al Ain University, media partner Abu Dhabi Media Corporation and logistics sponsor Tawzea Distribution & Logistics Services are part of the centre’s broader mission to Preserve Arabic heritage, promote the development of the Arabic language, and similarly host ambitious events in support of the UAE’s creative and cultural industries.
Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said: “The new spirit of the Al Ain Book Festival moves away from the traditional role of the book fair as the main platform for buying and selling books, and instead embraces a unique interactive cultural celebration that shines a light” on Emirati culture and creativity. The festival will be open to all, with a special focus on young people, and a newly expanded visitor offering will showcase the work of Arab writers, artists and creatives who enrich our society today. “
Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Acting Executive Director of ALC, said: “This year’s Al Ain Book Festival will captivate readership in a more diverse and vibrant way, writing a new chapter for the annual event. The festival reaffirms Al Ain’s place on the cultural map The centrality of the festival will welcome 110 exhibitors and potentially more than 35,000 visitors to various locations across the city. As part of the festival’s long tradition of promoting literature and culture, the event will celebrate the heritage, writing of the UAE and the Arab world and language.”
During the multi-location festival, visitors can look forward to a plethora of activities designed for all tastes and age groups. Panel discussions, live music, performances and performances, seminars, workshops, sporting events and heritage events will all provide a unique platform to explore all areas of Emirati culture and creativity.
The Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium will serve as the centre of the festival, hosting a multi-faceted programme for children and young people and a vibrant arts programme, as well as the all-important Publishers Pavilion – an inspiring showcase for publishing in the Arab world today.
The stadium will host 70 shows, including folklore and heritage shows highlighting the beauty of popular music from around the world, as well as dance and comedy. Visitors can expect to see and hear Dubai-based hand player Anas Alhalabi, as well as Emirati, Egyptian and Omani folklore come to life in the stadium.
As part of the cultural programme, a series of 49 cultural workshops will be held at four festival locations. Discussion topics covering heritage, family, children, sports, history, art, sustainability, literature and poetry will offer something for all age groups and professional levels. Some of the questions to be explored throughout the cultural project include “What do we mean by the concept of youth empowerment?”; “Is the art of fiction nurtured or gifted?”; and “Behind the representation of Emirati burqas in popular culture. What is it?”
Qasr Al Muwaiji will also host one of the festival’s highlights, “The Lyrics: The Eleven Poets of Al Ain”, celebrating Nabati poetry and timeless poetic heritage known locally and throughout the Arab world. Thanks to cultural phenomena such as the TV show “Million Poets,” the oral tradition of Nabati poetry dates back to the 14th century and is becoming more and more popular today. The festival will spotlight young and veteran talents inspired by Al Ain’s great poets.
During the seven-day festival, young people, families and children will find more than 200 activities designed to spark creativity and innovation, ranging from arts and crafts workshops to storytelling, puppet shows and science and engineering projects. Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium and Zayed Central Library in particular will offer programmes aimed at the younger generation.
Visitors will discover spectacular power installations that recreate famous fictional characters from Emirati and ancient Arab folklore such as Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, magical coconut trees, birds and beasts and sea giants. Viewers will be invited to use augmented reality for the full character experience and discover the hidden details that complete each protagonist’s story.
A programme dedicated to Arabic cinema will showcase young and emerging Emirati filmmakers and offer workshops and discussions such as creative writing for children’s films and how to engage audiences in non-commercial films, featuring prominent films such as Nujoom Alghanem and Nasser Al Director and creative lead Daheri.
As part of the ALC’s broader Cultural Initiatives programme, the Festival’s programme supports current and future talent in the cultural and creative industries with the aim of fostering a broad culture of reading.
The Zayed Central Library will host a special ‘Kanz Al Jeel’ (Quotations from the Collection) Awards Ceremony on 15 November to recognise the winners of the first edition of the initiative launched by the ALC earlier this year. In six award categories for poets, writers, translators and scholars, the awards honour the legacy of the increasingly popular oral and literary traditions of Nabati poetry.
The festival will also host an event to commemorate the longstanding partnership between the ALC and the UAE University. Multi-faceted collaborations will foster knowledge and skills sharing, including educational initiatives and cultural events.
[ad_2]
Source link
