500 Books under Second Phase of '1001 Titles' Publishing Initiative Come to Fruition

Sharjah - The second phase of the ‘1001 Titles’ publishing initiative received 1,334 entries from Arab and Emirati authors and publishers, of which they approved and published 500 titles. Launched last year to support the publication of first-edition Arabic language titles, the second edition of 1001 Titles has a budget of AED 5 million to support 700 titles submitted by members of the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA), and 301 books by Emirati authors

During its participation at the 37th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), 1001 Titles has hosted several book signing ceremonies to familiarise fair visitors with some of the titles that were that have been published in its second phase.

Present at the signing ceremony, Majd Al Shehhi, Manager of 1001 Titles, said: “At 1001 Titles, we are keen to promote quality homegrown books at key local, regional and international cultural events. We seek to introduce readers and publishers to the UAE’s literary achievements and enhance cross-cultural communication. Today, we are sharing a selection of books written by a host of talented Emirati authors who have enriched our local culture with their writings.”

“We are here at the Sharjah International Book Fair, a premier regional and global cultural platform that shows us all the leading vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. This great visionary has taken Sharjah’s and the UAE’s cultural message around the world,” she noted.

Matchmaking session

While at SIBF 2018, 1001 Titles organised a matchmaking session for authors and publishers to explore ways of collaboration. During the course of the session, suggestions about future possible publications, which will result from these collaborations and supported by the 1001 Titles initiative were also made.

Book signing ceremonies

A series of signing ceremonies were organised by 1001 Titles. These include, ‘Stories from the Arab World’, written by Alia Al Fukaiki; ‘Lulu and the Marvelous Umbrella’, written by Moza Al Qaidi; ‘The Three Clouds’, written by Ams Al Shamisi; ‘Readings from Andalusian Literary Masterpieces’, written by Salmeh Kaaosh; ‘The Blue Moon’, and ‘The Crimson Planet’, written by Aisha Al Naqbi; ‘Al Warrad’s Return: Poems in the Dialect of Aden by Poet Ali Mohammad Luqman’, revised and edited by Dr. Shihab Ghanem; ‘Zayed, the Beacon of Wisdom’, written by Ihsan Al Swaidi; ‘Our Children are on the path of the Story’, written by Jassim Obaid Al Zuaabi.

The selected books also included ‘Baba Zayed and UAE’s Nation’, and ‘Moza and Her Smart Device’, written by Shaima Al Marzouqi; ‘Angel’s Kiss’, written by Sahar Naja; ‘Life is Wishes’, written by Abdullah Al Zaabi; ‘Nawaf the Ferryman’, written by Maitha Al Khayat; ‘Directed Readings’, written by Samah al Refai; ‘Zayed in Researchers’ Eyes’, written by Mohammed Abdullah Nour El Deen, ‘What Happened in the Gray Street’, written by Dina Fahmi Saleh.

Under the theme ‘Nurturing Talent to Enrich Content’, 1001 Titles cultural initiative was launched in February 2016, under the patronage of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and President of Emirates Publishers Association (EPA). It aims to publish 1,001 Emirati books, enhancing the intellectual product in the UAE and ensuring the sustainability of the publishing industry at the regional and international levels.

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© Press Release 2018