New UAEBBY board to highlight children’s literature: Bodour
Bodour Al Qasimi: ‘Selection of Emirati women experts for the advisory board reflects our confidence in women’s knowledge and ability’
On the sidelines of its participation at the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) has announced the formation of a new advisory board, which has been tasked with the facilitation of stronger and more streamlined communication among professionals in the children’s book industry. The new advisory board will also work to improve data exchange between organisations and individuals involved in children’s books production and distribution.
The new board will collaborate with industry professionals to support children’s literature and encourage writers, illustrators and cultural entities, locally and globally, to generate innovative and relatable narratives that will contribute to achieving UAEBBY’S mission to support young people with quality books and help broaden their horizons through reading.
The newly elected officials will also represent the UAEBBY at key cultural events, conferences and international book fairs focused on promoting children’s literature. The board will meet quarterly to assess its performance and set new goals for the upcoming phases of the year.
The new advisory board includes: Khoula Al Mujaini, Director of Fairs and Festivals at Sharjah Book Authority (SBA); Eman Bushulaibi, Director, Sharjah Public Library (SPL); Majd Al Shehhi, Manager of Publisher Relations at the Emirates Publishers Association; Nadia Al Najjar, children’s author; Wafa Ibrahim, artist and illustrator of children’s books; and Al Yazia Al Suwaidi, director and founder of Al Fulk Translation and Publishing.
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Founder and Patron of the UAEBBY, said: “With the newly elected advisory board, we look forward to entering a new phase of UAEBBY’S work at the heart of which lies a clear understanding of the significant role young people play in leading their communities, which count on them to build a beter future.
“We are confident that the new board will bring a fresh perspective and new narratives into children’s publishing, and guide it as it successfully navigates the rapid changes our industry is witnessing globally. The Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) has been announced the largest in the world this year in terms of the selling and buying of publishing rights, and this Emirati achievement motivates us to further our commitment to ataining and maintaining the literary quality that befits children’s books,” Bodour Al Qasimi added.
The UAEBBY Founder and Patron also noted that the selection of Emirati women experts for the advisory board reflected UAEBBY’S confidence in women’s knowledge and ability to lead their efforts in encouraging the children’s book industry to produce quality books that will promote the culture of reading among the young generations.
Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi concluded: “By bringing together all stakeholders including authors, illustrators, librarians, publishers, and book fairs, we aim to explore opportunities for collaboration and growth in this sector and nurture the children’s book industry in the UAE.”
The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) is the local branch in the UAE of the International Board on Books for Young
People (IBBY). The UAEBBY was officially established in 2010 to serve as a driving force for the promotion of a reading culture among children in the UAE. The UAEBBY has developed a wide range of programmes and initiatives to help publishers, authors and illustrators hone their skills, share expertise and contribute to enriching Arabic children’s literature, while providing the required training courses for children’s books professionals and promoting cross-cultural understanding through children’s literature.
Recently, sixteen titles of 14 authors representing 11 publishers from six Arab countries have been shortlisted for the 13th edition of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children’s Literature, organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and supported by the Etisalat Group. The final winners of the Dhs1.2 million award will be announced at a ceremony held during the Sharjah International Book Fair 2021 which takes place from 3-13 November.