President Sheikh Mohamed issues Dh6 million fund for books from Abu Dhabi Book Fair

Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2022 runs from May 23 to 29 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National, unless otherwise specified

The annual event features a strong programme of daily panel sessions and seminars featuring award-winning authors, government officials, filmmakers and musicians.

Some of the big names appearing at the fair include Syrian poet Adonis, Nobel Prize for Economics winner Guido Imbens and this year's winners of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.

There are always new authors to meet and the opportunity to reconnect with seasoned booksellers returning with fresh stock at the book fair.

Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop showcasing newspapers and magazines from the 1970s, some featuring stories about the UAE. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Dar Al Fadeela Bookshop specialises in literary material from the past 100 years. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Christoph Auvermann from Libraire Clavreuil in Paris displays a book written in 1450 and worth €350,000 ($376,000). Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Entry to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is for those 16 years and older and is free with prior registration from the website.

Visitors explore on the first day of the event.

The event is being held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until Sunday.

Arabic letters in a futuristic font are suspended above and area where students can undertake quizzes, presented in the form of computer games, to identify their favourite genre.

An exhibition is dedicated to the UAE Space Agency’s Mission to Mars and includes a medium-sized replica of the red planet that changes colour.

Visitors play foosball at the Germany pavilion on the first day of the event.

There are several interactive elements at the event this year.

A virtual-reality experience at the UAE Ministry of Education stand.

The fair's main aim is to encourage children to read and help them figure out where to begin their book journey.

Inside the Germany pavilion. The country is the book fair's guest of honour for a second year running.

With the weekdays normally dedicated to school groups aged 16 and above, educational pavilions are where most of the action is in the mornings and early afternoons.

Sheikh Mohamed, President of the UAE, has allocated a Dh6 million grant dedicated to purchasing books and educational materials from the ongoing Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.

The purchased titles will be distributed to school libraries across the UAE to support the publishing and education sectors.

“This generous grant from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed offers a strong foundation to continue our efforts to keep the local and Arab publishing market globally competitive,” said Ali Bin Tamim, chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, the fair’s organising body and a division of the Department of Culture and Tourism ― Abu Dhabi.

“It will also play an effective role in advancing knowledge and culture in the UAE, providing students with a wide variety of books and reference materials from the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Through this, the next generation’s increased accessibility to content will inspire their enthusiasm for knowledge and learning, while enhancing their imagination, innovation and creativity.”

The 31st book fair brings together more than 1,100 publishers from about 80 countries, with more than 450 activities that span panel discussions, seminars, cultural evenings and children’s events. An educational programme has been curated for students of various ages with panel discussions and workshops, several sessions of which will be broadcast live to schools and universities across the Emirates.

Germany is the guest of honour of the fair, with a series of 40 events planned to highlight the UAE and Germany’s cultural ties, with German writers and thinkers taking part in workshops devoted to schools and children.

Cultural heavyweights attending this year’s fair include Syrian poet Adonis, who will be reading excerpts of his works on Tuesday, as well as Nobel Prize for Economics winner Guido Imbens, who held a talk on Monday about the role economists play in predicting future societal trends, and how they shape government and fiscal policies.

The fair is hosting art exhibitions, too, including a display by Japanese calligrapher Fouad Honda, which explores the intersections between Arab and Japanese cultures through Arabic calligraphy.

Entry to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is for those 16 years and older and is free with prior registration from the website. Vaccinated visitors are required to show a negative PCR test result on Al Hosn app taken within the past 30 days. Unvaccinated or exempt visitors are required to show a negative PCR test result on Al Hosn App received within 96 hours. Face masks must be worn at all times.