Sharjah has opened its programme at the Warsaw International Book Fair, becoming the first Arab guest of honour in the event's history.
Led by Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority, the emirate's delegation on Thursday brought writers, publishers, institutions, artists and heritage performers to PGE Narodowy Stadium, where the fair runs until Sunday.
Sharjah's four-day programme features 35 cultural events, including 28 panel discussions, four poetry evenings and three children's workshops. Activities will also take place across the University of Warsaw and Grochoteka Public Library.
The Sharjah National Band is to perform 18 times as part of the programme, alongside cultural activations across Warsaw. On the opening day, the band welcomed the Sharjah delegation with a performance and later appeared at a gala reception at the Polish National Theatre.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Sheikha Bodour said Sharjah's presence at the fair reflected a belief in literature as a meeting point between cultures.
"Translation makes that courage possible," she said. "Translation connects worlds. It carries the questions of one civilisation into the heart of another."
She said Sharjah's theme – Two Civilisations. One Language of Letters – recognised differences while calling for patience between cultures. "Civilisations do not have to resemble one another to understand one another. They only need to approach each other with patience, curiosity and empathy," she said.
Sheikha Bodour also conveyed the greetings of Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, and recalled his view that dialogue between civilisations is a necessity and that culture is a "noble bridge through which we connect with others".
Emirati publishers have used the guest of honour role to reach a European market where supplies of books from the Gulf and wider Arab world remain limited.
At the Emirates Publishers Association stand, Saeed Saeed, founder and executive director of Dar Albayan Alarabi, said the fair marked the first time the Sharjah publishing house had represented its work abroad. It is one of six UAE publishers at the fair.
"As soon as I arrived here, I went to the big bookstores. I asked them, 'Do you have anything that talks about the Arab world?' Most of them said they did not," he told The National. "Then I told them, I am from the UAE, a publisher from the UAE, and I have books that anyone visiting the Arab region could use. They talk about the history and culture of this region and they are also a model of Arab culture in general."
Founded in 2020, Dar Albayan Alarabi, has focused on Abu Dhabi's history and cultural memory, Saeed said. Its first title, Dalma: The Beating Heart of the Pearl Bank, examines the island's place in the pearling history of Abu Dhabi.
It has since been translated into English in collaboration with the National Library. Another title, Clothing and Jewellery of the People of Abu Dhabi, documents dress, adornment, perfume and personal appearance in Abu Dhabi before the discovery of oil. Dar Albayan Alarabi's catalogue also includes children's books such as The Talent Treasure and Saif's Adventure on Smart Money Island, as well as fiction.
"This is the UAE narrative," Saeed said. "The UAE's achievements and history should be shared with the world and read by people, so there is greater knowledge of the history and documentation of the UAE."
The early hours of the fair had already led to conversations about translation, he said. "We are now also entering into discussions with a Polish university here. There is a preliminary agreement to translate some of our books from Arabic into Polish," he said. "We are still on the first day, in the first hours, even before the opening, and already we have had something like this."
On Friday, the programme continues at the National Library of Poland with Folktales Reimagined – Polish Edition, a collaborative project by the UAE Board on Books for Young People. It brings together Polish and Emirati illustrators to reinterpret folk tales from both countries.
It is followed by Marhaba Poland, a joint activity by Kalimat Foundation and Marhaba Poland, to be attended by Sheikha Bodour and that aims to promote reading and expand access to Arabic books. Later in the day, PublisHer hosts Women Reshaping the Global Publishing Industry on the fair's main stage, also to be attended by Sheikha Bodour.
"These kinds of cultural events break barriers," Saeed said. "They create direct meetings. If they know you, they will understand you."
