Sharjah 24 – WAM: Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, officially inaugurated the 30th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF).

The fair, organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), is held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

His Highness was accompanied on his tour by Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, Saood Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, and Mouza Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.

As part of his tour, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed visited the pavilion of the Federal Republic of Germany, the guest of honour for both the 30th and 31st editions.

Touring ADIBF, which is open to visitors until 29 May, His Highness emphasised the importance of the continuation of cultural initiatives for their impact on converging cultures and civilizations and enhancing ADIBF’s role in enriching the global literary world by translating Arabic and non-Arabic books into other languages and encouraging reading as an essential part of continuous learning.

Germany’s participation this year features a variety of programmes and events that allow exhibition visitors to navigate German folklore, as well as literary and artistic productions involving some of the most prominent German publishing houses in attendance. This edition also coincides with the launch of the From Cinderella to Sindbad: German and Arab Timeless Tales exhibition at Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation, in addition to the screening of a selection of German films during the period of the fair.

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed was briefed on a number of local, Arab and international pavilions and publishing houses participating in this year’s edition. His Highness praised the efforts undertaken by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and DCT Abu Dhabi to organise this edition of the fair, which for the first time is a hybrid edition, combining an onsite event with virtual programming, while implementing best-in-practice Covid-19 safety standards and precautionary measures.

Sheikh Khaled inspected several other pavilions including those of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, Emirates Writers Union, the Ministry of Education (MoE), Abu Dhabi Media Company, Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, the National Archives, the Sharjah Book Authority, and others.

He was also briefed on a number of publishing projects and new publications, and he met with a prominent group of authors and writers.

This year's edition of ADIBF includes a rich variety of cultural programmes, many of which are held through ADIBF’s partnerships, with a vibrant intellectual atmosphere bringing together 889 publishing houses offering 500,000 books. The fair’s hybrid programme includes 229 in-person and virtual sessions, with 248 speakers from around the world, as well as an area dedicated to training and upskilling young writers.