Sharjah boosts ties with Serbia library
sharjah — The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has strengthened its ties with one of the best public libraries in east Europe by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Library of Serbia (NLS).
Signed during the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2017), the move was taken to pave the way for effective strategic collaborations in cultural and literary areas.
The agreement is a culmination of a series of meetings between the SBA and NLS officials over the past years — all aimed at boosting collaboration and highlighting the other’s cultural, literary and artistic products at exhibitions, book fairs, festivals, presentations, conferences, seminars, and other promotional activities organised by the two entities.
It is anticipated that the outcome of this collaboration will be “particularly visible” during the Belgrade International Book Fair and the Sharjah International Book Fair, and reflect strong UAE– Serbia ties.
“At the SBA, our constant endeavour is to forge strong cultural relationships with the world, facilitating free transmission and reception of literary and artistic wealth. This significant collaboration is in line with the vision of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. We are delighted to have established a strong partnership with Serbia — a nation that has an impressive literary heritage,” said Ahmed Al Ameri, chairman of the SBA.
Laslo Blašković, NLS director, said: “The SBA shares our commitment to disseminate knowledge and culture, and is equally passionate about promoting reading in its community. With the signing of this MoU, we look forward to strengthening cultural ties with the UAE. Furthermore, the agreement will facilitate an array of collaborative events, as well as joint efforts to meet the needs and interests of readers in both nations. We look forward to participating in Sharjah’s book fairs in a big way, and also welcome them into our future literary projects.”
Sara Al Marzouqi, manager of Sharjah Public Library, said: “In addition to enabling us to offer our Serbian partners a window into Arabic life, this agreement will provide an opportunity for our own young generations to learn about a unique foreign culture, and also enable Arabic authors and publishers to gain insights into the central, eastern and southeastern book markets in Europe, which have strong relations with the Arab world.”
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