Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has inaugurated the world’s largest floating book fair aboard the ship Logos Hope docked at the emirate’s Mina Zayed Port. Coinciding with the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, the exhibition was inaugurated in an opening ceremony on 18 May and will welcome visitors until 4 June 2023.
The opening ceremony was attended by His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, His Excellency Saood Alhosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, His Excellency. Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of ALC, His Excellency Saleh Al Geziry, Director-General Tourism Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi, His Excellency Saif Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer of Ports Cluster at AD Ports Group, His Excellency Adnan Mohammed Al Awadi, Support Services Executive Director, DCT Abu Dhabi, His Excellency Saeed Al Tunaiji, ALC Executive Director, Noura Al Dhaheri, Managing Director of Cruise Business, AD Ports Group, and Sebastian Moncayo, Advance Preparation Project Manager for Abu Dhabi at the Logos Hope exhibition.
The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre is participating in the exhibition with a cultural programme that features activities for members of the public and school students, including educational workshops for children, creative and technical workshops, and specialised corners.
His Excellency Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of ALC, said: “The Logos Hope floating exhibition is an innovative addition to Abu Dhabi’s cultural agenda. This novel offering further strengthens our efforts to promote a culture of reading and to ensure the widest possible access to books and knowledge resources for all our community members, in line with the strategic objectives of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.”
Noura Al Dhaheri, Managing Director of Cruise Business, AD Ports Group, said: “We are thrilled to be part of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2023 by hosting the Logos Hope, the world’s largest floating book exhibition. For the next coming weeks, all the residents of Abu Dhabi will have the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful world of books covering a wide range of topics catering to all preferences. We are also proud of Abu Dhabi Cruise Terminal’s contribution towards the cultural and intellectual entertainment within the capital.”
The ALC’s programming includes a children’s stories reading workshop presented by author Dr Fatima Al Mazrouei, an Arabic calligraphy workshop presented by Saeed Al Amiri, a book discussion led by members of the ALC Reading Club, and a workshop on the history of literature and music, presented by Iman Al Hashemi.
The floating book fair offers its visitors a wide range of more than 5,000 books and publications, covering fields such as sports, science, arts, dictionaries, medicine, and languages, among others. The exhibition is also accompanied by a busy agenda of events, workshops, discussion sessions, as well as interactive and musical performances that cater to all segments of the community.
Every year, the Logos Hope ship receives approximately 1 million visitors. Since its establishment in 2009, it has visited more than 150 countries around the world, welcoming a total of 49 million people. The ship’s crew includes volunteer staff from 60 different nationalities, with teams travelling to areas surrounding the ports where the ship docks to visit hospitals and schools, and provide community service and assistance. Logos Hope’s main objective is to serve people in the communities wherever it docks.
