Sharjah book fair leader touts literary adventure to end hatred
Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, chairman of the United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah Book Authority and director of the Sharja International Book Fair, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times on Nov. 10 at the Expo Center Sharja in the United Arab Emirates. / Korea Times
By Kang Hyun-kyung
SHARJAH -- Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, chairman of the United Arab Emirates’ Sharjah Book Authority, is an insatiable reader and a firm believer in literature as a way to end hatred.
He said literature helps readers build understanding in ways of thinking about people from different cultures and thus is a powerful tool to foster cultural tolerance.
As a reader, Al Ameri said his areas of interest know no bounds. He said he reads books of history, business, fiction and non-fiction, and his curiosity even covers books on religions other than his own, Islam.
Like other readers, Al Ameri, also director of the Sharjah International Book Fair, said he has a book that has a tremendous impact on his life. It’s the Quran, the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language, he said.
“Quran is our holy book,” Al Ameri said during an interview with The Korea Times at the Expo Center Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates on Nov. 10. “It gives readers enlightenment and allows them to gain deep understanding of people from different cultures and civilizations.”
Al Ameri said the book also teaches tolerance and respect for other religions. “The best thing about reading Quran is that once you read it, you will be able to respect others. You’ll be able to open your heart to people from other communities.”
The key message he derived from the Islamic holy book sounds timely as the Middle East is mired in fresh chaos.
Saudi Arabia’s set of assertive actions to tackle Iran’s influence in the region has led to speculation that another conflict may be inevitable there.
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned last week during his trip to Riyadh, claiming he feared an assassination plot and accused Iran of meddling in the region. In Lebanon, a coalition government was formed between the faction siding with Saudi Arabia which includes Hariri and Hezbollah, an Iran affiliate, and it overseas state affairs.
Hariri’s abrupt resignation, a decision reportedly forced by Saudi Arabia, has left the small country located at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian hinterland in the hands of Hezbollah, providing Saudi Arabia with justification to “take action” against Iran’s growing influence in the region. Last week, the Saudi government ordered their citizens in Lebanon to evacuate, fanning the ominous prospects of regional stability.
Such a tense security environment, however, was rarely felt in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, a nation sharing a 530-kilometer border with Saudi Arabia on its west.
The 36th Sharjah International Book Fair was full of vitality and resilience.
The Expo Center Sharjah, the 4,000-square-meter venue for the book fair, was crowded, especially during the evenings. The record number of visitors -- 2.38 million during the 11-day run of the program -- reflects the book fair is a popular cultural program among the public.
Unlike other world-class book fairs held in Frankfurt or London, Sharjah is more reader-oriented, rather than a marketplace for rights negotiations and distribution of content among publishing houses.
Book sales during this year’s event have increased 17 percent from the event the previous year, and children’s books and foreign books were the key drivers behind soaring book sales at the fair, according to the organizers.
In the UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi, another milestone cultural event took place in the middle of the book fair ? the opening of the cultural history museum of Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Q: The opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi on Nov. 8 coincided with the Sharja International Book Fair. Is the simultaneous occurrence of the two big cultural events simply a rare coincidence, or does it implicate the UAE government’s heavy emphasis on cultural programs to promote something else?
A: True. We, the UAE government, assigned a lot of budget to develop humanity. We believe art, culture and literature can help people end hatred and live in peace. The SIBF is the literary platform that presents the UAE’s message that we are peaceful, book-loving people.
Q: In the digital era, writers and publishers find it tough to turn children’s attention toward books because they are exposed to a sea of internet games and fun stuff. I’m wondering if the SIBF has any strategies to attract children to encourage them to read.
A: We have a comic section to bring younger readers to the book fair and have created activities to attract their attention.
Q: It seems female writers are very active in the UAE. Why are women active in the publishing industry?
A: We have more women leaders than men across all fields. We have many women who have founded their own publishing houses. Women in publishing show the UAE has a relatively high ratio of women representation in decision-making positions. The UAE probably has more female Cabinet members both in federal and state governments than any other country. We also have more female university students than males. Women are an important asset to our country and they play a great role in moving this country forward.
Q: Does education have something to do with the status of women in this country?
A: Not exactly. Women are born to be creative. I think women are active in the UAE publishing industry, partly because they are more talented than men in describing delicate emotions and emotional changes.
Q: The Sharjah International Book Fair is the destination where readers and publishing houses can find more books of Arabic literature than at any other world-class book fairs. How is Arabic literature different from Western literature, for example?
A: We believe in vocabulary and form. We believe in the power of words because words can bring people together. You can see the power of literature in bringing people from different cultures together when you look at the popularity of “One Thousand and One Nights.” The collection of the Middle Eastern folk tales is read by people from all around the world. If you read Arabic literature, you can find it has the richest vocabulary. The UAE government has assigned quite a bit of budget on translations of Arabic literature into English and several other international languages and vice versa to spread Arabic literature outside the region.
Q: How would you compare SIBF to other world-class book fairs, such as the ones held in Frankfurt and London?
A: We have a B2B-like professional program for publishing houses just like Frankfurt and London book fairs do, and we also have a consumer book fair featuring rich cultural events. Some 2,300 cultural activities are going on during the 11-day run of SIBF. Our joint conference with the American Library Association is another characteristic that distinguishes Sharjah from other business-oriented global book fairs.