A lively and engaging programme of activities was curated to showcase the Caribbean region’s culture, knowledge, and civilisation, emphasising its close and developing ties with the UAE.
The 34th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), running since 26 April and about to draw to a close (5 May), has had as Guest of Honour the Caribbean nations this year.
Highlighting Caribbean Cultural Richness
This significant selection by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) aimed to underscore the rich cultural tapestry of the 25 Caribbean countries, fostering stronger cultural and intellectual exchange between this vibrant region and the Arab world.
A dedicated pavilion was established in collaboration with the Caribbean embassies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to celebrate their multifaceted cultural heritage, encompassing literature, arts, music, and cuisine.
Bridging Cultures and Expanding Literary Horizons
The decision to feature the Caribbean countries as Guest of Honour aligns with the UAE’s broader efforts to strengthen the publishing and translation industries. This initiative seeks to forge new partnerships that will provide Arab readers with greater access to Caribbean literature, expanding the horizons of literary consumption within the Arab region.
This move also reinforces the UAE’s, and in particular Abu Dhabi’s, position as a global cultural capital that actively embraces linguistically and culturally rich regions, moving beyond the traditional focus on Europe and the US to champion literary diversity and open up markets on a global scale.
A Vibrant Programme of Cultural Exchange
A lively and engaging programme of activities was curated to showcase the Caribbean region’s culture, knowledge, and civilisation, emphasising its close and developing ties with the UAE.
A Multi-Sensory Celebration
The Guest of Honour programme features a rich array of literary, artistic, musical, and culinary performances, alongside insightful events and discussion panels featuring ambassadors, publishers, and authors from across the Caribbean. Cooking demonstrations by professional chefs offered a tantalising glimpse into Caribbean cuisine.
The Bigger Picture
Over at Publishers Weekly, Edward Nawotka provided an instructive and comprehensive overview of the Abu Dhabi Book Fair. It’s great to see PW‘s expanded focus on the global markets. And of course Publishing Perspectives always covers Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, but inevitably at the expense of the wider Arab market region.
The Rabat International Book Fair is just winding up in Morocco, the Tunis International Book Fair finishes today (4 May), Iraqi Kurdistan’s Erbil International Book Fair is not long finished, Qatar’s Doha International Book Fair is about to start, and Oman’s Muscat International Book Fair has just closed its doors.
A week of internet interruptions and school demands have kept TNPS from covering these events as much as I’d like, and by June we’ll be into the sizzling summer heat when the Arab book fair calendar takes a well-earned break.
But stay tuned for coverage of what’s left of this Arab book fair season’s events.
TNPS – Because the global book market is so much bigger than we think.
This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.
