UAEBBY fosters zest for reading among youth
SHARJAH: The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) has marked International Youth Day 2020 on August 12 with a video release under the slogan, ‘I am what I read’ to inspire the younger generation to venture into a lifelong journey of discovery with reading.
The video, released on UAEBBY’S social media accounts, depicts the power of the writen word and captures the joy that the passion of reading evokes.
Through the video, UAEBBY encourages the youth to immerse themselves in books and explore within its pages a parallel universe set in different times and places in history. The short clip features a young woman describing her passion for books and libraries through a poem that expresses how a literary work can transport the reader into fantastical new worlds where they can meet intriguing characters and travel through time to different eras.
Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY, said: “The International Youth Day emphasises the importance of raising and nurturing young generations who are an asset to the nation and capable of leading the country. The occasion is also apt to raise awareness about the value of reading, through which young Emiratis and Arabs can discover new talents, advance their skills, and set ambitious goals.”
She added: “Reading shapes one’s identity, broadens horizons, and equips readers with the knowledge to navigate life. UAEBBY congratulates the youth on this occasion and urges them to become more knowledgable and confident with every passing year.”
In March, the ‘Read. Dream. Create’ campaign (RDC), an initiative of the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) that aims to nurture a new generation of young readers, hosted a cultural discussion with two Emirati authors at Ajman Youth Hub.
The session hosted Badria Al Shamsi and Asma Al Ketbi to discuss their literary project, Khrerifeh Mjerifeh, a collection of Emirati folk stories. The outcome of a collaboration between the UAEBBY and Goethe Institut Gulf-region, the book was published under the supervision of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage. The title, Khrerifeh Mjerifeh, is taken from the term “Khorafa,” a word that refers to myths or folk tales in the traditional dialect of the UAE.
Atended by young members of the Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah (SYL), Sharjah Youth and Ajman Youth Hub, the session centred around the importance of literature in preserving Emirati cultural heritage by reviving oral narrative traditions.