AL AIN (WAM)
Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), the Al Ain Book Festival 2024 kicked off its activities at Al Ain Square - Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium.
Held under the theme “All Eyes on Al Ain,” the festival will run until November 23.
This year’s festival presents more than 200 events and activities, bringing together a distinguished group of pioneers in culture, art, and poetry from various creative fields.
The event aims to promote a culture of reading and encourage members of the community, especially youth and young adults, to engage with Emirati cultural heritage and appreciate its rich legacy.
Chairman of the ALC, Dr. Ali bin Tamim, said, “The patronage of the Al Ain Book Festival by H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, underscores the success of the festival and consolidates its position as a prominent cultural destination that promotes knowledge, embraces culture, contributes to the publication of books, and celebrates icons of culture, science, knowledge, and arts.”
“With its distinguished vision,” he continued, “the festival has supported the centre’s strategic efforts to promote the presence of the Arabic language as a key component of cultural identity, in line with the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s vision to create a generation of avid readers with strong ties to their language and culture and the Emirati heritage and authentic values.”
“The festival promotes Al Ain’s position as a cultural and intellectual hub, highlighting its deep connections to culture, books, and education, while being home to some of the UAE’s oldest and most prominent universities,” he added.
“Furthermore, the event supports Al Ain’s presence as the Capital for Gulf Tourism 2025 by promoting its leading cultural and heritage sites that were selected to host the Al Ain Book Festival’s cultural and recreational activities, inspired by the UAE’s rich heritage.”
The exhibition allows visitors to explore notable publications across all cultural fields, with 200 exhibitors showcasing 100,000 scientific and intellectual titles. The ALC invites the public to visit the festival, which has become a unique movement in harmony with Abu Dhabi’s cultural and intellectual achievements.
Visitors can enjoy events at six main venues: Al Ain Square - Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, Al Jahili Fort, and the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), in addition to the ‘Khazanat Al Kutub’ activities in three malls across Al Ain.
This, in turn, reflects the Centre’s vision and strategic objectives to create a knowledge-based society and foster a community-wide cultural movement.
The ‘Poetry Nights: The Sung Poetry’ programme, one of the festival’s key initiatives, highlights the UAE’s pioneering experience in preserving folk poetic heritage. It features three segments: ‘The Missing Yet Present,’ which commemorates notable poets who enriched the poetry scene and passed away in 2024; ‘Beginnings and Development,’ which discusses the role of the media, government initiatives, and private efforts in documenting and preserving poetry; and ‘Poets Majlis,’ which recreates the atmosphere of poetry gatherings that were broadcast on television stations in the 1980s.
In its current edition, the festival celebrates through “Poetry Nights” the legacy of the late Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan and his notable support for literature and poetry and his keenness to promote culture among generations.