Describe the main features of the measure/initiative:
In 2017, the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) started organizing annual book exhibitions with different focal themes. The aim behind holding those exhibitions is to expose society to different types of books; shedding light on the extensive literary traditions, as well as the new trends that emerge by the day. So far, all UAEBBY’s exhibitions have been free admission.
In its earlier book exhibitions, The UAEBBY took special notice of silent books as they transcend all language barriers and limitations, and a society as diverse and multilingual as that of UAE makes for the perfect environment where silent books flourish. So far, UAEBBY has held three silent book exhibitions, the first of which took place in 2017. UAEBBY hosted the IBBY 2015 collection of silent books in the SAF Flying Saucer and added three silent books proudly made in the Arab world. The second silent book exhibition took place the following year in Zayed Central Library Al Ain, featuring the third IBBY silent book collection in addition to the first wave of silent books published in UAE. The third exhibition took place in Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2019 where UAEBBY collaborated with Sharjah World Book Capital Office to curate 50 titles of fascinating silent books.
UAEBBY celebrates silent books and their universal language that engages children despite their cultural differences, but it also embraces those cultural differences and want to highlight the beauty of diversity. In 2019, the UAEBBY collaborated with Maraya Art Center to host the Silk Road Book Exhibition, which brought together a wide collection of narrative, picture and general-knowledge books on China. The exhibition included an activity schedule where visitors enjoyed traditional Chinese music performances or had Chinese calligraphy workshops.
In March 2020, the UAEBBY opened the Fairy Tales Come True: Worlds from the Imagination of Hans Christian Andersen exhibition in Sharjah Art Museum. The Exhibition is an interactive and experiential celebration of Hans Christian Andersen’s life and work. It was organized in collaboration with Sharjah Museum Authority in celebration of the Sharjah World Book Capital title 2019/2020. The exhibition explored over 20 of Andersen’s stories through high resolution drawings, papercuts, and artwork from Odense City Museums, as well as interactive props.
Website of the measure/initiative, if available:
What are the results achieved so far through the implementation of the measure/initiative?:
So far, the exhibitions received very positive response from the public. This indicates that these exhibitions provided a space where society can enjoy engaging and interacting with different cultural goods. The variation of the exhibitions exposes UAE society to different cultures and cultural goods, raising awareness about them. Moreover, the fact that all the exhibitions are free admission makes it more accessible to different segments of UAE’s society.