Al Dhafra Book Festival 2022 to begin from Dec.5

Abu DHABI: The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has announced it will be organising the Al Dhafra Book Festival 2022 from 5th to 9th December at the Public Park in Zayed City.

Taking place under the patronage of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, the festival will be held under the slogan ‘Celebrating a Cultural Legacy’, as an interpretation of the Arabic version which is taken from a poem by the UAE’S Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, where he expresses his pride and ambitions for the Al Dhafra region.

Al Dhafra Book Festival was formerly known as Al Dhafra Book Fair, which has had two previous editions organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre.

Dr. Ali Bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said, “Al Dhafra Book Festival 2022 is a continuation of the Al Dhafra Book Fair, of which the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre organised two editions so far. Now in its third instalment, the event is developing in parallel with the steady growth in the region’s cultural and literary community. It presents a renewed version of the event, inspired by the rich local cultural heritage, which promotes a sense of belonging, encourages creativity and innovation, and celebrates literature and writers to occupy its righful place in the UAE’S cultural landscape, providing a unique opportunity to enjoy books in all their forms”

“Al Dhafra represents an important part of the history of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and was the scene of countless historical and social events that will remain present in the nation’s memory,” bin Tamim added. “The region was near and dear to the heart of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who worked to spearhead its development and wrote timeless poems about it. His widely known sung poem ‘Beynounah’ embodied his vision for the status of Al Dhafra and its role in the UAE’S journey towards growth and prosperity - a journey we are still on today, guided by our wise leadership, to make our country one of the most developed in the world and home to an ever-growing list of achievements and successes.”

This year’s Al Dhafra Book Festival seeks to provide intellectual content to connect the various segments of Emirati society with their authentic heritage, documenting the links to the past to inspire pride and promote the values of belonging and loyalty to the UAE. The festival also aims to create a society of avid readers who can make significant contributions to the UAE’S continuous development and progress.