The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has launched the Young Publisher initiative, designed to equip school students with writing and publishing skills and to introduce them to the full journey of book production from ideation conception to publication enhancing their presence in the cultural and creative industries ecosystem.
The initiative is in line with Abu Dhabi’s vision to nurture a proactive and highly capable generation who can contribute to enriching the UAE’s literary landscape with contemporary perspectives rooted in national identity. It is also part of the Centre’s ongoing efforts to reinforce the status of the Arabic language as a vital medium for thought and creativity, while embedding it in the consciousness of younger generations through educational and practical pathways that combine knowledge with hands-on skills. These efforts seek to prepare emerging talents for professional publishing experiences from an early stage.
As part of the new initiative, the ALC organised six specialised workshops, engaging 48 students aged between 6 and 18 from schools across Abu Dhabi. The workshops addressed key aspects of the publishing industry, including creative writing, editing, and proofreading.
The initiative will run until March 2026, culminating in the publication of a collective book featuring the students’ creative works, which will be officially launched and signed at a dedicated pavilion during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2026, scheduled to take place from 11 to 20 April, in the presence of students’ families and the general public. This milestone marks the participants’ transition from learning to active cultural production, while connecting emerging talents with leading cultural platforms.
The Young Publisher initiative aims to promote the sustainability of creativity and to instil knowledge in younger generations by developing their linguistic skills and creative expression – an investment in their present and future intellectual growth.
The initiative also aims to create a dynamic link between promising talents and the professional publishing sector, which serves to renew the cultural scene and reinforce Arabic as a language that keeps pace with modern developments, sciences, and the arts. This aligns with the vision of the UAE’s leadership, which places human development and skills enhancement at the heart of national priorities.
The programme began in November with an introductory workshop titled “I Am a Young Writer: Writing to Reimagine a More Beautiful World”, which focused on turning initial ideas into cohesive narrative structures and laying the foundations of creative writing and text development. This was followed by the workshop “My First Idea: From Inspiration to the First Seed of a Story”, led by writer Ahlam Al Zeyoud, which aimed to stimulate imagination and break down creative barriers using innovative brainstorming and idea-generation tools.
The programme explored the technical dimensions of storytelling through the workshop “Conflict and Resolution: The Art of Plot Development and Narrative Tension”. The session provided advanced training in dramatic thinking and integrated plot construction, guiding participants from the inciting incident to the climax and value-driven resolutions. The workshop resulted in narrative outlines that reflected a high level of intellectual maturity among participants.
Stylistic development was addressed in a workshop titled “The Art of Storytelling and Dialogue”, which trained students to engage the five senses in descriptive writing and to develop a distinctive narrative voice, while maintaining linguistic accuracy and correct punctuation. This was followed by “Story Heroes: Building Compelling Characters”, which taught participants how to create comprehensive character profiles encompassing motivations, goals, and psychological dimensions.
The series concluded with the workshop “The Art of Writing for Children”, which explored the distinctive features of children’s literature and its stylistic approaches, striking a balance between linguistic elegance and simplicity while avoiding direct didacticism, to ensure that cultural messages are conveyed through refined artistic expression.
The Young Publisher initiative, organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre in collaboration with partners from the publishing sector, represents an integrated model for fostering cultural awareness and strengthening the connection of young people to the Arabic language and national values.
