Khalifa bin Tahnoon Visits Al Ain Book Festival 2024

Al Ain Book Festival 2024: Khalifa bin Tahnoon Visits

His Highness Khalifa bin Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court, has visited the Al Ain Book Festival 2024.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has organized the event until November 23 under the theme All Eyes on Al Ain.

His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoon bin Mohammed toured the festival’s venues, visited several publishing houses participating in the event, and was introduced to the festival’s extensive activities, workshops and interactive sessions, designed to foster a generation of passionate readers with deep connections to the UAE’s heritage and pride in their national identity.

His Highness reviewed publications and books produced by prominent Emirati and Arab writers in various literary, scientific, cultural and critical fields.

His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoon bin Mohammed praised the centre’s dedication to promoting the Arabic language, fostering a culture of reading in society, and supporting the local cultural landscape. Its success each year further cements its position as a leading annual literary event in the UAE’s cultural calendar.

During the visit, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoon bin Mohammed was accompanied by His Highness Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism; His Highness Saud Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi; His Highness Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre; and His Excellency Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.

His Excellency Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, said, “Our Arabic language and written traditions are intrinsic to our proud cultural identity, and the Al Ain Book Festival is a key pillar of our efforts to showcase Emirati and regional literary talent, celebrate the Arabic language, and inspire a love of reading for a new generation.

The event brings the community together to experience diverse forms of creativity and reinforces Abu Dhabi’s status as a dynamic cultural hub.

Set to welcome 140,000 visitors, this year’s Al Ain Book Festival will feature 200 exhibitors showcasing 100,000 titles, in line with the festival’s goal of empowering a generation of readers.

The event serves as a showcase for Emirati talent, with writers and artists participating in a wide range of talks, sessions and workshops.

Highlights of the event include Poetry Nights: A series of events that will host poets and scholars in celebration of traditional poetry.

This year’s event focuses on the legacies of prominent Emirati poets who passed away in 2024, with an evening dedicated to each poet to highlight their biographies and poetic contributions.

The event also explores the origins of the popular poetry documentation movement, from the oral tradition of poetry gatherings to today’s digital age and the era of television and radio broadcasts, where a new generation of poets has turned to online platforms to share their work.

The book The Humdrums of Culture will be launched at the event, by Emirati author Sheikha Alyasia bint Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan Dr. Fatima Al Mazrouei will be attending the session.

Meanwhile, Not Present: Farewell to the Companions of the Word will honor the passing of great folk poets who left a lasting literary legacy in the Gulf and contributed to the establishment of a pioneering Gulf poetry program.

The festival’s events will be held across a selection of heritage and historical sites in Al Ain City, in addition to three malls: Al Ain Square – Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium, Al Jahili Fort and United Arab Emirates University (UAEU). Al Ain.

Meanwhile, the Zayed Central Library will host a ceremony to honor the winners of the third edition of the Khans Al Zeel Award.