Fight terrorism with weapons of culture, says Dr Sheikh Sultan

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, with Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority - on the opening day of the 36th Sharjah International Book Fair. - KT photo by M. Sajjad

The darkness of terrorism could be fought with the weapons of culture, education and knowledge, said His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, on Wednesday.
Opening the 36th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) at Expo Centre, Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan said: "We will fight the current darkness spread by terrorists with weapons of culture, education and knowledge and this will guide the youth to the path of peace." He alerted that the virtual world is being used by invisible hands that are tampering with minds of the children and youth. "Some negative elements use the virtual world to destroy our beliefs, heritage, culture and knowledge. But we will fight this through the light of education and knowledge," he said.
After the opening ceremony, Sheikh Sultan signed his four new books launched at the SIBF. The books include Poetry Debates between Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi and His Friend Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdul-Aziz Al Siddiqui; Tale of A City
- Second Volume (a historical account of Sharjah); Very Important Journey (a collection of Spanish historical documents); and I Owe (a discourse on a 16th century Portuguese explorer. The book fair will continue till November 11.
The opening ceremony featured a short documentary about the titles authored by Dr Sheikh Sultan.
Ahmad bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) which organises the SIBF, stated that through the book fair, Sharjah continues to convey its cultural message year after year to the world to reflect the Arab and Islamic culture.
Sharjah boasts to be the first city in the Arab world to have 500 publishing houses from around the world.
Mohammed Sabbir Arab, Egypt's former minister of culture, was presented with SIBF's Cultural Personality of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to Arabic culture and academics.
The opening ceremony was attended by Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, a number of Sheikhs, senior officials from the UAE government and other dignitaries.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com
Sharjah Ruler honours award winners
His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, honoured the winners of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) Awards on the first day of the fair on Wednesday.
The Sharjah Ruler also honoured winners of the ninth edition of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature, which is organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and sponsored by Etisalat Group.
The award winners are:
The Best Emirati Book by an Emirati Creative Writer Award - Nadiya Al Najjar for her novel 'The D Trilogy'
The Best Emirati Academic Book Award - Dr Maitha Majed Al Shamsi for 'The Semiology of Sign in Contemporary Emirati Theatre'.
The Best Emirati Book about the UAE - Dr Rashid Ahmed Al Mazrouei (The Encyclopaedia of Popular Proverbs)
The Best Arabic Novel - Abdullah Al Basees (Wolf Trap)
The Best International Fiction - Lauri Kubuitsile (The Scattering)
The Best International Non-Fiction award - Sophie Le Ray, Radhika Punshi and David B. Jones (Game Changers)
The Best Local Publisher - Dar Molhimon from the UAE
Best Arab Publisher - Dar Al Mada from Iraq
Best International Publisher - The Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing Co. from India.
Award for children's literature
Sharjah Children's Book of the Year Award (Dh300,000) - 'Two Homes Instead of One' by Lorca Sbeity, illustrated by Mona Yakzan and published by Dar Al Saqi in Lebanon.
Young Adult's Book of the Year (Dh200,000) - Cappuccino by Fatima Sharafeddine, published by Dar Al Saqi in Lebanon.
Best Text award (Dh100,000) - My Mother is a Gorilla and My Father is an Elephant by Dr Naseeba Al Ozaibi, illustrated by Abdulrazaque Al Salhany and published by Al Aalm Al Arabi publishing house in the UAE
Best Production (Dh100,000) - 'Whatever Happened to My Brother Ramiz' by Taghreed Najjar, illustrated by Maya Fidawi and published by Al Salwa Publishers in Jordan.
Best Illustration (Dh100,000) - The Seventh Day's Sheep by Amina Al Hashemi, illustrated by Maya Fidawi and published by Yanbow Al Kitab in Morocco.
Digital Book App of the Year (Dh100,000) - 'Lamsa' application, developed by the Lamsa Company, UAE.
The inaugural translation prize, (Turjuman Award) - Editorial Verbum S.L., a Spanish publishing house, for its translation of 'One Thousand and One Nights'.

• Sharjah International Book Fair

Afkar Ali Ahmed

afkarali@khaleejtimes.com