Sharjah takes centre stage at the London Book Fair

The emirate’s thriving cultural industry is a key point of discussion at the event

The Sharjah pavilion at the London Book Fair. Photo: Sharjah Book Authority

Sharjah is the star of the London Book Fair.

The emirate is quite literally the centre of attention at London Olympia until Thursday, where a constellation of pavilions are catering to various cultural organisations.

Located in Hall 6, the main pavilion is run by the Sharjah Book Authority.

Within the stand — which includes room for panel sessions, a majlis, working booths and even a television studio — are the ambassadors of Sharjah’s thriving cultural sectors, including representatives, managers and salespeople for institutions such as the House of Wisdom, Sharjah Publishing City, Sharjah University, the publishing house Kalimat and the Emirates Intellectual Property Association.

Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority. Photo: Sharjah Book Authority

Sharjah has been designated as this year’s Market Focus for the fair and Sharjah Book Authority chairman Ahmed Al Ameri says the aim is to cement the emirate’s standing as a global cultural hub.

“To be given the position of being the Market Focus for the book fair is similar to being a guest of honour of the event. And this is especially important to Sharjah because we are the first Arab city to do this in London,” he tells The National.

“So by coming here we are giving people a glimpse of what Sharjah has to offer. We are telling the world we have literature, education, culture, heritage and history that people can learn from.”

House of Wisdom’s pitch to the industry

It’s a message already resonating within the publishing world.

The 2020 Sharjah International Book Fair, which ran in a hybrid format, was the industry’s first international trade fair to take place amid the pandemic.

The emirate was also the guest of honour of the Bologna Children's Book Fair last month and Al Ameri confirms the same designation will be given to Sharjah “at another major book fair, to be announced soon”.

These feats are music to the ears of Mohammed Boufarss.

As head of library operations for the House of Wisdom, he says international industry gatherings such as book fairs are important in spreading the word.

“If you remember, we opened the House of Wisdom in 2020, during the pandemic, when there was not a lot of major book fairs running other than Sharjah,” he says.

“So this is an important opportunity to get out there and tell people what we are about.”

So what is the pitch to the international delegates in London?

“Well, for one thing, I don’t use the word ‘library’ when I talk about the House of Wisdom,” Boufarss says.

"We are more a cultural and social hub because we are built on the principles of what libraries will be like in the future. This is a concept which uses what we call 'learning as a social phenomenon', which is using our space to bring people together."

More than entertainment

The pavilion put that theory into practice on Tuesday as a large crowd gathered to see the Sharjah Department of Culture’s in-house folk troupe perform the Al Ayala dance, an art form on Unesco’s representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

“It is a dance that's normally used in important social occasions, such as weddings. It always makes people, who are not familiar with it, curious and excited because it has energy and rhythm.” says member Hassan Darwish.

“At the same time there is meaning to it all. I have played in many book fairs over the years in places like China, Spain and France.

"What we are doing is not entertainment, we are showing the deep history and culture of the UAE.”

The Sharjah Book Authority's London Book Fair programme continues with a number of events planned, including an evening poetry performance on Thursday at The Arab British Centre featuring Afra Atiq and Khalid Al Budoor.

More information is available at www.londonbookfair.co.uk