'The essence of Emirati culture': Mexico hoists UAE flag to celebrate Sharjah at Guadalajara International Book Fair 2022

The UAE flag fluttered high yesterday in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, popularly known as ‘The City of Roses,’ in celebration of Sharjah’s Guest of Honour status at the 36th Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL), which runs until December 4, 2022.

Over the course of 9 days, Guadalajara, the cultural centre of Mexico, will showcase the richness of Emirati and Arab literature and build bridges between the Arab and Latin cultures through a diverse agenda of activities.

The celebrations marking the opening ceremony were held in the presence of: Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations (DGR) in Sharjah, and head of the Sharjah delegation; Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association; Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA); Ahmed Al Menhali, UAE Ambassador to Mexico; Raúl Padilla López, President of FIL; and representatives of Emirati and Mexican cultural institutions.

‘Values of curiosity and cultural exchange’

In his keynote address delivered on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi pointed out the deep cultural bonds between the emirate and Guadalajara.

He thanked the book fair for “celebrating the power of books and the importance of the publishing industry with Sharjah, and fuelling curiosity about this wonderful part of the world.”

Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi said: “This curiosity is what we celebrate at book fairs. It is what we celebrate in all our panel discussions, our work on translating between Arabic and Spanish in our focus on illustration and children’s books.

He added: “No other industry showcases these values of curiosity and cultural exchange better than the publishing industry. The world of books holds a special responsibility in cultural diplomacy and understanding. Writers, publishers and illustrators, are the spokespeople of cultural dialogue and it is through your words, your books, that a vibrant and truly global cultural understanding is written.”

Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi concluded by expressing his thanks to Bodour Al Qasimi, and said: “Today, on behalf of all of my colleagues in the Sharjah Government, I thank you for the inspiration and the dedication to publishing and elevating Sharjah's role in it. As you close this chapter and open the next, I am confident that I speak on behalf of everyone here. We will continue to follow your every word, every page and every book - God bless you Bodour and thank you for everything!”

‘Love of culture and books brings us closer together’

In her keynote speech, Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association, said: “Inviting and welcoming Sharjah as the Guest of Honour at your fair reflects your willingness to build cultural bridges between yourselves and other cultures. Although we are far from one another, our love of culture and books brings us closer together and helps us create a dialogue that leads to more understanding, empathy, and harmony.”

The IPA President added: “At IPA, we encourage and support such cultural partnerships because we believe that we are stronger together, and our strength lies in our diversity and differences.”

Bodour Al Qasimi continued: “Despite the ongoing challenges facing the publishing sector, publishers are thinking outside the box and innovating to advance the industry. Herein lies the importance of collaboration, which provides greater opportunities to encourage more people to read and build strong bonds between cultures, which is needed most in our world today.”

‘Sharjah represents the essence of Emirati culture and values’

They also reviewed a vast collection of titles showcased at the pavilion, including a selection of the Spanish translations of the works of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.