UAE Reading Month 2023 begins with events across the country

There will be 100 events this month in Abu Dhabi alone

Every March, the UAE celebrates literature through the annual Reading Month. Pawan Singh / The National

Wednesday marks the start of Reading Month, a celebration of literature held every March in the UAE. Various events are being held across the country in its honour, with the Department of Tourism and Culture — Abu Dhabi announcing 100 in the capital alone.

Organised by the Maktaba library management department, these include workshops, educational programmes, seminars and competitions, open to guests of all ages and backgrounds, including children, teenagers, people of determination, the elderly, students and academics.

This year, Maktaba is launching an initiative called Let's Read Together, as part of which a selection of books from various genres, appropriate for all age groups, will be available for public reading and discussion.

Shaikha Al Muhairi, director of the library department at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “UAE Reading Month is an annual occasion that reflects the wise leadership’s vision to build an educated generation that can drive tomorrow’s social, scientific, and cultural development. This month is a great opportunity for us to work closely with our strategic partners in the government and private sector to offer cultural programmes that suit all social groups.”

Maktaba will also organise other activities, including public storytelling events in Arabic and English, poetry readings and meetings with authors, as well as a cultural week promoting reading among employees at various institutions and companies. There will also be awareness workshops, to help teachers work more effectively with students who have learning difficulties.

Among those taking part are writers such as Mona Al-Nawfali, Maryam Al Ketbi and Amer Al Mahri, as well as poets including Najat Al Dhaheri and Afra Atiq.

Elsewhere, several other events will be taking place across the country, with reading and writing competitions, literacy programmes and film screenings at various locations across Dubai, Ajman, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

Together, these events aim to promote the UAE's intellectual achievements and cultural infrastructure, while encouraging people across the country to read.

More information about coming events is at https://mcy.gov.ae/en/reading/events