DUBAI - The first-ever 'Big Bad Wolf Book Sale Dubai', the world's biggest book sale, will kick-off in the Emirate of Dubai on 18th October, 2018, with three million brand-new English and Arabic language books from all genres available for reading enthusiasts at discounts ranging from 50 to 80 percent.

Held in partnership with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, MBRF, the National Media Council, NMC, and Dubai Production City, the sale is open 24 hours a day, non-stop, for 11 consecutive days at the Dubai Studio City, Sound Stage Venue. Doors open at 09:00 on Thursday, 18th October, and will close at 11:59 on Sunday, 28th October.

"Our vision of bringing ‘The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale’ to Dubai is now a reality," said Mohamed Al Aidaroos, Managing Partner of Ink Readable Books, and the organiser. "The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale aims to promote a culture of reading through affordable brand-new books as there is a clear demand for such books in the region. By making millions of high-quality, English books accessible, we aim to ignite imaginations, foster creative thinking and help empower the future generation." The MBRF has contributed a number of Arabic books and publications through its publishing arm, Qindeel Printing, Publishing and Distribution, as part of its commitment to promoting the widespread use of the Arabic language.

With MBRF’s latest Arab Reading Index revealing that the average Arab citizen reads around 17 books per year, Al Aidaroos said that the event is ready to host hundreds of thousands of English and Arabic bookworms, occasional readers, students, families and avid shoppers over the next week-and-a-half.

Thousands of book lovers attended the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale Dubai’s special VIP Day today, with Big Bad Wolf members and competition winners receiving exclusive pre-sale access. The VIP Day was inaugurated by Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF.

"The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale arrives in Dubai with over three million brand new books at amazing discounts. We are delighted to partner The Big Bad Wolf Sale and would like to encourage everyone to visit the sale at Dubai Studio City, Sound Stage Venue," Bin Huwaireb said.

Founded in 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Big Bad Wolf Books has been to multiple Asian cities in the last decade, including Jakarta, Manila, Cebu, Colombo, Bangkok and Taipei. Dubai’s very own Big Bad Wolf Book Sale will reflect its commitment to "Changing the World One Book at a Time." Readers of all interests, financial status or age groups can expect to find bestsellers, novels, business books, art and design titles, cookbooks and a wide range of children’s books from augmented reality to activity books.

"If you take the average thickness of one book and you imagine all the books at Big Bad Wolf Book Sale Dubai piled up into a single stack, it will be a cloud-piercing tower of books that is 48 times taller than the Burj Khalifa. We have a lot of books and we invite everyone to come and experience it," Al Aidaroos said.

Majed Al Suwaidi, Managing Director of Dubai Production City and Dubai Studio City, said, "As part of our support to the reading initiatives launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the Big Bad Wolf initiative meets our values of enabling education and sharing knowledge. This one-of-its-kind book fair allows book enthusiasts of this region to meet like-minded people and exchange ideas as well as giving a larger opportunity and access to books. We hope this initiative will strongly contribute towards Dubai’s vision of developing a knowledge-based competitive economy, and we are pleased to be part of it."

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2018.