The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) will take part in the London Book Fair 2024 to be held from March 12 to 14 at Olympia London. The London Book Fair is an excellent opportunity for publishers from around the world to expand their international reach and enter new markets.
The ALC is dedicated to enhancing its global presence through active participation in international book fairs. It seeks to establish robust partnerships with publishers on a global scale and showcase the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), along with its cultural initiatives. Through these participations, the Centre also aims to connect with decision-makers in the publishing and cultural industry to stay up to date about the latest trends and developments in the publishing sector.
His Excellency Dr. Ali Bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said: “International book fairs provide a dynamic platform for fostering dialogue and collaboration between publishing trailblazers, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs, bringing different creative perspectives together. Book fairs bolster the Centre's commitment to nurturing cultural domains and creative sectors associated with publishing and literature, in line with the UAE's National Strategy for Cultural and Creative Industries, which seeks to elevate the sector's economic impact, positioning it as a key industry in the nation's future growth.”
The ALC’s participation in the London Book Fair features a discussion on the theme ‘Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre: Building Bridges with Arab Culture’. The session sheds light on the projects and initiatives offered by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and the opportunities it provides to connect Arab culture with other cultures. It also highlights ALC’s role in the advancement of the Arabic language, promoting interest among native speakers and non-native speakers in learning Arabic, leading linguistic research efforts, and supporting creativity, authorship, translation, and publishing. The session will also discuss some of ALC's most significant projects, such as the Kalima Translation Project, and the various book fairs and festivals it organises, such as the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, as well as the awards and grants offered by the ALC to support the publishing and creative industries.
The Kalima Reading Club will be hosting a discussion on the book ‘The Astronomer and the Witch’. The book narrates the story of Johannes Kepler, a renowned German astronomer, and his struggle to defend his mother against witchcraft accusations. The ALC will be also organise a cultural retreat named ‘Translation: Literature and Technology’ in collaboration with the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London, featuring 30 experts and academics from various translation disciplines.
During the book fair, the ALC will sign an agreement with the Natural History Museum to purchase translation rights of a collection of books with the aim of launching Arabic translations of these books. The collection includes ‘Nature's Explorers: Adventurers Who Recorded the Wonders of the Natural World’, published by the Natural History Museum. The book features superb artworks and photographs of plants, animals, landscapes, and people. Also included is the book entitled ‘Voyages of Discovery: A Visual Celebration of Ten of the Greatest Natural History Expeditions’ by Tony Rice. This book showcases a visual and textual record of ten of the most important expeditions of the last three centuries. The photographs and drawings in the book are intertwined with the explorers' stories to express the value of human achievement in discovering the splendour of natural wonders.
The book ‘Dinosaurs: How They Lived and Evolved’ by Darren Naish and Paul Barrett is also a part of this project. It reveals the awe-inspiring secrets of these fascinating creatures. The books covers the evolution of dinosaurs, the most exciting and dominant animals ever to have lived on our planet, which had an evolutionary lineage that spanned more than 150 million years
