Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Ain Region, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) proudly presents the 2021 edition of the Al Ain Book Fair from 21 to 30 September at Zayed Central Library in Al Ain City, under the theme ‘A reading generation is a leading generation’.
Making the event accessible to the widest possible audience, Al Ain Book Fair 2021 will be hosted in an innovative hybrid format, combining a physical event with virtual sessions broadcast via the fair’s digital platforms.
“Literacy is an essential building block of any successful nation, and in line with the UAE leadership’s vision, DCT Abu Dhabi remains committed supporting a sustainable publishing sector and promoting reading as a means of contributing to building a knowledge-based economy,” said His Excellency Saood Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi. “Al Ain Book Fair provides all segments of our community with crucial access to the written word, and all forms of culture, and presents our young people with opportunities to share their talent and creativity with the world. With this edition’s focus on the UAE Jubilee, the fair will play an integral role in showcasing and disseminating our proud Emirati cultural heritage, highlighting the literary and cultural products which have shaped our national identity for the past five decades.”
More than 100 exhibitors and publishers from across the UAE will be participating in this year’s fair, showcasing the latest literary works and catering to a range of readers across all age groups. The event will also host 50 speakers, including eminent cultural figures, writers, creators and artists from the UAE, to share and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Emirates over the past half century.
His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, said, “Following the resounding success of the most recent Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, we are greatly looking forward to the return of the Al Ain Book Fair, a highlight of Abu Dhabi’s annual cultural agenda. With its distinct local perspective, each year the fair hosts and celebrates a selection of Emirati writers and intellectuals, allowing our homegrown talent to interact directly with their readers and be introduced to new audiences. With a varied programme that truly offers something for everyone, we especially hope that impressionable young minds will be inspired by the joys of reading, in line with our mission of building creative and free-thinking future generations.”
The fair will offer a packed programme curated to celebrate the ‘UAE Year of the 50th’, featuring cultural seminars, book readings, musical performances and poetry evenings. There will be fun for the whole family, with children’s activities including a wide range of entertainment, educational shows and workshops, focussing on learning and skill development.
The fair’s management will be implementing best-in-practice precautionary measures to ensure the safety of all visitors, exhibitors and staff. All adults visiting Al Ain Book Fair must be fully vaccinated (those who have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and have a Green ALHOSN application) and must present a negative PCR test result taken within the previous 48 hours. All visitors are required to install and activate the ALHOSN application on their smart phones. Temperatures will be checked at the entrances and a set of safety measures will be imposed to ensure social distancing, with limited visitor numbers inside halls and pavilions.
Visitors must register in advance to obtain an electronic entry card, via https://adbookfair.com/en/aabf or through the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair smart phone app.
