DCT Abu Dhabi organises book exchange event
The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) organised on Tuesday a book exchange event during which it presented its latest publications to representatives of the Biblioteca Islamica (Islamic Library) in Spain. Held this morning at DCT Abu Dhabi’s headquarters at Nation Towers in Abu Dhabi, the event was attended by Antonio Álvaraz Barthe, the Spanish Ambassador to the UAE, and aimed to promote cultural and intellectual exchange between the two countries.
The event comes as part of DCT Abu Dhabi’s efforts to develop relationships with global academic and knowledge-focused institutions, as well as raise awareness of Arab and Emirati culture across the world.
The event included the exchange of many valuable historical, literary, intellectual and scientific books, along with a collection of short stories. Titles included The History of Muslims in Africa, History of Arabic Music in Andalusia, Bloody Blue Room, El Conde Lucanor, The Conquest of The Incas, the Modern Latin American Literature series, and the Poetry
The event comes as part of DCT Abu Dhabi’s efforts to develop relationships with global academic and knowledge focused institutions
of Azad in the Pre-islamic Period. Abdullah Majed Al Ali, Acting Executive Director, Dar Al Kutub Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi said: “It is a great privilege to exchange and share books among different nations, to promote knowledge and have the opportunity to learn more about other countries and their cultures. The Biblioteca Islamica in Spain represents a rich resource of knowledge of the Andalusian Arab culture, as well as the realm of science, which can benefit our readers in the UAE. Sharing and exchanging books can also contribute to bringing our Arab and Islamic culture, and the Emirati culture, to the wider world.”
During the event, Antonio Álvaraz Barthe, Ambassador of Spain to the UAE, said: “This exchange will substantially contribute to the dissemination of our cultures in both countries. Moreover, an ambitious cooperation programme between both institutions has been agreed for the next few years that will include joint exhibitions and events and promotion of the translation of Spanish literature into Arabic.”
Established in 1981, Dar Al Kutub, DCT Abu Dhabi’s publishing sector, is one of the UAE’S largest knowledge repositories and a vital resource for intellectuals, scholars and scientists. The sector is responsible for the establishment of community, children’s and mobile libraries. It also acts as a publishing house and provides translation services for many of the world’s major literary works. One of its most important roles is to promote talented Emirati writers and researchers by publishing their books and academic works. The sector also collects, preserves and displays ancient Arabic and Islamic manuscripts, covering a variety of topics from literature and religion to science and arts.
The Biblioteca Islamica in Spain is one of the most highly-respected Islamic libraries in Europe. It is home to 100,000 books, manuscripts and documents, making it an important cultural resource and a beacon for Islamic culture in Spain and Europe. It holds many valuable books and documents that have been the main source of information for generations of scholars and Arabists. The Department of Culture and Tourism conserves and promotes the heritage and culture of Abu Dhabi emirate and leverages them in the development of a world-class, sustainable destination of distinction, which enriches the lives of visitors and residents alike.
The organisation manages the emirate’s tourism sector and markets the destination internationally through a wide range of activities aimed at attracting visitors and investment. Its policies, plans and programs relate to the preservation of heritage and culture, including protecting archaeological and historical sites and to developing museums, including Zayed National Museum, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. DCT - Abu Dhabi supports intellectual and artistic activities and cultural events to nurture a rich cultural environment and honour the emirate’s heritage. A key role is to create synergy in the destination’s development through close co-ordination with its wide-ranging stakeholder base.