The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) participated in the 32nd Beijing International Book Fair in the Chinese capital from 17 to 21 June 2026, as part of a unified government delegation representing the UAE as Guest of Honour.
The Centre’s activities at the fair served as a strategic platform designed to broaden the horizons of cultural and intellectual cooperation between the two nations, building on their strong bilateral relations that continue to experience notable growth at various levels.
This participation affirmed the growing prominence of Emirati culture on the global stage, highlighting the ALC’s pivotal role in advancing the presence of the Arabic language and forging cross-cultural bridges. Beyond showcasing its publications and organising cultural programmes, the Centre’s involvement included professional meetings and specialised discussions with leading institutions in publishing, translation, education, and technology, in addition to meetings with top organisers of international book fairs.
These engagements aimedv to explore cooperation opportunities, develop the publishing industry, facilitate rights exchange, and strengthen the translation movement. The participation also exhibited promising indicators for the future of Emirati-Chinese cultural cooperation with announcements of a substantial Chinese presence at the upcoming edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) in September 2026. This reflects the depth of the cultural partnership between the two countries and reinforces their shared vision for supporting the creative industries in the digital age.
The ALC’s participation drew widespread interest from authors, intellectuals, publishing professionals, and fair visitors. The UAE national pavilion, named ‘Al Bait Al Emirati’ (The Emirati Home), recorded significant turnout from fairgoers looking to explore the Centre’s publications and cultural events. This, in turn, demonstrates the great confidence these publications and projects enjoy, and reflects the ALC’s key role in reinforcing inter-civilisational dialogue and cultural exchange between the UAE and the People’s Republic of China.
Furthermore, the Centre organised the Conference on the ‘Future of UAE-China Cultural Relations’ and participated in a session titled ‘High-Level Forum for International Publishing Institutions at the Beijing International Book Fair: Redefining Publishing in the AI Era’, organised by the Publishers Association of China and the International Publishers Association. It also hosted a session at the UAE pavilion titled ‘Fifteen Years of UAE-China Cultural Partnership in the Publishing Industry’.
The agenda also included a cultural session titled ‘Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre Literary Awards: A Platform for Arab-Chinese Convergence’, in which His Excellency Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC and Secretary-General of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, discussed the Award’s efforts over the past 20 years to advance the Arab and global cultural movement, support innovation, honour creatives, and launch the Translation Grant initiative.
For his part, H.E. Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the ALC and Director of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, participated in a session organised by the Centre under the title ‘International Book Fairs: Regional Impact and Global Role of the Abu Dhabi and Beijing Book Fairs’, highlighting the ADIBF’s pivotal role in building bridges of inter-civilisational dialogue with the countries and cultures of the world, and in supporting the publishing industry through grants.
A series of sessions were held to launch Arabic editions of Chinese publications, including a discussion on the book ‘Shanghai: Six Thousand Years – A Journey of an Inclusive Civilisation’, alongside a session titled ‘Beacons of the Silk Road’, which marked the launch of the Arabic edition of China’s People’s Literature magazine. By convening academic figures and cultural and media leaders from both sides, these sessions contributed to strengthening cultural exchange between the UAE and China through impactful initiatives in the publishing, translation, and joint studies sectors, ultimately aiming to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and extending long-term civilisational ties.
The Centre announced that Chinese participation in the upcoming edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in September 2026 will be among the most distinguished. The planned Chinese pavilions will span over 600 square metres, bringing together more than 30 publishing houses, three of China’s leading rights agents, 20 artists, five companies specialising in AI, and four cultural institutions from four different Chinese provinces dedicated to intangible cultural heritage. Over 100 representatives from Chinese cultural, academic, and technological entities are expected to participate in the Fair, alongside a special appearance by the artist Haji Noor Deen Mi Guangjiang, the most prominent Arabic calligrapher of in China.
Moreover, the Centre organised field tours encompassing art and heritage exhibitions, historical museums, and leading cultural, academic, and corporate institutions. This included a visit to explore avenues for cooperation with Mingluo Technology, one of China’s leading corporate data analysis and artificial intelligence companies.
The ALC also held discussions with leaders in publishing, translation, and education in China, as well as global cultural figures, exploring the latest developments in the publishing industry and advanced technology, as well as opportunities in literary rights marketing. Additionally, the Centre concluded agreements aimed to advance the presence of the Arabic language and its cultural heritage. Meetings were also held with several directors of international book fairs, including the Beijing International Book Fair, Moscow International Book Fair, and Jamaica Book Festival, along with the Deputy Director of the Frankfurt Book Fair.
These meetings highlighted key programmes and events organised by these fairs and discussed ways to enhance mutual cooperation to support the global publishing industry and develop an integrated ecosystem that serves the cultural and creative sector. Participants agreed to hold a follow-up meeting during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair to discuss prospects for future cooperation, establish a framework for joint programmes and events, explore opportunities for book development and marketing. The forthcoming meeting will focus on enhancing translation and cultural exchange, in addition to discussing the growing role of book fairs in supporting the publishing and creative industries at regional and international levels.
The Centre’s agenda also included meetings with more than 18 Chinese and international entities, most notably: Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism; Fangqiao Co., Ltd., an affiliate of the China Railway 14th Bureau Group; Central Academy of Fine Arts; Beijing Language and Culture University; Shanghai Fengyuzhu Culture and Technology Co., Ltd.; Beijing Wuyi Shijie Digital Twin Technology Co., Ltd.; China Today magazine, part of the China International Communications Group; and the China National Publications Import and Export (Group) Co., Ltd., as well as the Publishers Association of China, China Educational Publications Import and Export Co., Ltd., and Beijing Language and Culture University.
Through its participation in the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre has successfully achieved its objectives to highlight authentic Emirati heritage, introduce the UAE’s pioneering developmental achievements, and spotlight its creative authors and publishers. These efforts reflected authentic Emirati and Arab cultural heritage, fulfilling the vision of the UAE’s wise leadership in advancing the Arabic language and expanding its global presence.
