The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) participated in the 15th edition of the "Arab Forum for Children's Literature," which recently concluded in the Tunisian capital. The forum, themed "Children's Literature and the System of Values and Environmental Issues," brought together experts and researchers in the field of literary creativity for children and young people.
In his speech at the forum, His Excellency Saeed Hamdan Al-Tunaiji, the Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and Director of ADIBF, emphasized that the ALC's vision for children's literature is rooted in the belief that childhood plays an important role in human development and education. Based on this understanding, ALC has developed programmes, activities, and publications aimed at children and young people, encompassing all aspects of its work, including books and audiovisual publications, educational and cultural activities, most notably book fairs and festivals.
His Excellency noted that the Kalima Translation Project, launched in 2007 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, which has dedicated more than 300 books to children's and youth literature. In addition, the Sheikh Zayed Book Award includes a category for children's literature among its ten categories, highlighting 12 authors from the UAE and the Arab world.
He added: "The translation grant associated with the award supports authors of children's literature to increase the number of Arabic books that are translated, published, and distributed outside the Arab region. The grant has produced 21 translations of award-winning and shortlisted children's books into several world languages, including Italian, French, English, German, and Greek, in collaboration with international publishers."
His Excellency highlighted other ALC projects that support children and youth, including the "Isdarat" project, which has published 118 authored and translated books, adorned with illustrations and pictures that appeal to the imagination of children at various stages of their development. The ALC has also published 18 books in Arabic by Emirati authors and 8 books translated into English by Emirati female authors, with the aim of promoting Emirati authors and introducing children to the local environment and national identity of the UAE. In addition, the "We Read for Children" initiative, where a select group of Emirati and Arab artists and media celebrities read books to children, instils in them an appreciation for the language and its meanings. The first series of this initiative received over 5 million views.
He noted that ALC statistics show that a quarter of the publishers participating in the most recent edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, which ended last month, specialised in children's books, totaling 180. Meanwhile, the number of children's books sold at the fair reached about 42,000, representing 28 percent of the total number of all books sold.
The ALC's participation in the Forum also included meetings with Tunisian officials in the field of childhood. His Excellency the ALC Executive Director met with Her Excellency Dr. Amel Belhaj Moussa, the Tunisian Minister of Family, Women, Childhood, and Seniors, to discuss prospects for cooperation in organising programmes and activities related to children and reading. The meeting was attended by Mohamed Ait Mihoub, President of the Children's Literature Forum. His Excellency also met with Mahmoud Ben Romdhane, President of the Tunisian Academy of Sciences, Letters, and Arts "Beit al-Hikma," and with several publishers to explore areas of cooperation in the field of creative industries.
The Forum's programme included academic sessions on value-based challenges in children's literature and environmental storytelling for children. The winners of the Arab Mustafa Azzouz prize for Children's Literature were also announced.
