Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi is the UAE's Minister of Culture
March 21, 2024
UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, once said: “The book is a container of science, civilisation, culture, knowledge, literature and arts. Nations are not only measured by material wealth but also by their civil authenticity. The book is the basis of this authenticity and a key factor in the confirmation of its civilisation.”
This profound insight underscores our leadership’s philosophy and the belief that our nation’s greatest asset is its people. And to nurture their skills, we must start with the fundamental building block: reading. We are now halfway through National Reading Month 2024 in the UAE, and I am filled with a deep sense of appreciation for the transformative power of reading. I hope that the initiatives and activities planned for this month enable us to actively engage and connect with the community.
The value of reading cannot be overstated. Whether novels, newspapers, journals or magazines, reading provides us with the tools necessary for personal and intellectual growth. It is through reading that we cultivate critical thinking, analytical skills and a nuanced understanding of the world around us. It also opens the door to myriad cultures, fosters empathy, broadens our perspective on any given topic and offers insight to human experiences beyond our immediate surroundings. In fact, so much of what we know about our world has been learnt through reading, rather than via first-hand experience. Perhaps most importantly in an increasingly polarised world, reading helps us understand the lives and experiences of others.
The Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival will run until Sunday at the Sharjah Expo Centre. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
Performers dress up and play music at the festival. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
A live music workshop. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
Students from the Victoria English school, Sharjah, draw pictures at a festival workshop. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
There are more than 100 publishers specialising in children's literature at the festival this year. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
Books on display at Sharjah Expo Centre. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
Performer shows off his martial arts skills. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
Author Sudha Murty signs books at the festival. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
Children take part in a dance performance. Photo: Chris Whiteoak / The National
More than 400 guests including authors, artists, illustrators, experts and influencers are involved in talks, demonstrations, activities and workshops for both children and adults. Photo: Pawan Singh / The National
Parents and their children watch a performance at one of the festival's many shows and theatre productions. Photo: Pawan Singh / The National
Roaming performers at the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival. Photo: Pawan Singh / The National
Children take part in an art workshop. Photo: Pawan Singh / The National
Look for topics that interest you and read every day to open up endless possibilities of discovery and learning
National Reading Month in the UAE has grown bigger with each edition. This year, too, ministries, government institutions and the private sector are collaborating to present various activities. Among them is an initiative to republish rare books, thereby protecting their legacy from being lost. The Ministry of Culture has partnered with the Emirates Writers Union to bring 12 such books back to life. In addition to this, we will also translate a collection of Emirati literary pieces into different languages. The reading month in the UAE is a community event and this year it coincides with the Holy Month of Ramadan, providing us with an opportunity to bring culture, literature and tradition together.
Books have been an integral part of the UAE’s journey. Every emirate is connected through an extensive network of public libraries, which are home to some of the most valuable and rare books. Built over the years, these treasure troves of knowledge are not just places of reading but also hubs for knowledge sharing and cultural activities.
Take, for example, the Qasr Al Watan Library, which was launched during National Reading Month in 2019. With more than 50,000 titles on science, the arts and other fields, this library spotlights how the UAE’s National Strategy of Reading and National Reading Month have been instrumental in reminding us of the significance of books. The National Library and Archives Abu Dhabi is another great example of how libraries contribute to this legacy and play a central role in building the country’s strong knowledge infrastructure. The National Library and Archives are currently working on digitising books about the UAE, the Gulf and the Arab world to offer an accessible platform and resource to researchers at the local, regional and global levels.
In Dubai, we have the Mohammed bin Rashid Library, which marks its 10th anniversary this year and houses hundreds of thousands of books from all over the world, covering different genres and languages. Al Safa Art and Design Library was revamped and opened to the public during National Reading Month in 2019 and hosts a remarkable collection of books on design, calligraphy, architecture and the arts.
Sharjah has been instrumental in positioning the UAE on the global cultural map since the 1970s, and this is evident through initiatives such as the Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre for Gulf Studies, which houses a rich collection of centuries-old maps, manuscripts and books. The House of Wisdom is yet another cultural hub that places books at the forefront of community engagement offering a massive library and space for people to appreciate, critique and discuss books.
National Reading Month 2024 provides us all with a welcome reminder of the value of reading and an opportunity to discover or rediscover it for ourselves. I encourage you to utilise the initiative and activities this month to make reading a habit. Look for topics that interest you and read every day to open up endless possibilities of discovery and learning.
I am sharing some recommendations from my personal library to help you get started: Nuthum Al-Fara’id in the Legacy of Ibn Majid by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah; Letters to a Young Muslim, a collection of letters addressing the complexities of being a Muslim in the modern world, by Omar Ghobash; and Celestial Bodiesby Jokha Alharthi, winner of the 2019 International Booker Prize.
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
