Sharjah opens its 45th book fair with an Arabic encyclopedia and an international prize

Abu Dhabi-SANA

Yesterday, Wednesday, the 45th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair opened in the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, under the slogan "From the Makers of Stories," running until November 15. The opening ceremony saw the launch of 143 volumes of the Comprehensive Arabic Encyclopedia in sciences, literature, arts, and biographies, alongside the announcement of the launch of the Harun al-Rashid International Prize in the fields of sciences, literature, arts, and biographies.

The Sharjah Government Media Office stated that the fair is held at the Sharjah Expo Centre with participation from publishing houses and cultural institutions from Arab and foreign countries. The Comprehensive Arabic Encyclopedia aims to provide a reference covering various sciences, literature, arts, and biographies, facilitating access to knowledge sources in Arabic for readers and researchers. More than 1,500 specialists from around the world are working on the project, which will be available in both print and electronic versions upon completion in 2027.

For his part, Sharjah Ruler Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi announced the launch of the Harun al-Rashid Prize to honor scientists, researchers, writers, and creators, and to appreciate their contributions to enriching knowledge and intellectual production. The prize is awarded annually to four individuals, aiming to encourage scientific research and literary and artistic creativity, and to support biographical studies and preserve cultural and scientific memory.

Emirates News Agency (WAM) added that the current edition features wide participation, with 3,212 publishers and exhibitors from 126 countries, including Syria, presenting approximately 1.7 million titles. The program includes 1,500 cultural, creative, and artistic events with 106 guests from 25 countries, while the Sultanate of Oman is the guest of honor for the edition through a program covering its history, heritage, and cultural identity.

The opening ceremony honored Moroccan researcher and critic Dr. Said Yaktine as the cultural personality of the edition, in appreciation of his contributions to narrative studies and literary criticism. The Sharjah Translation Prize "Taraman" for 2026 was also awarded to the Catalan publishing house "Caravan" for its translation of excerpts from "One Thousand and One Nights" into Catalan. The fair's events will continue until November 15 through a program combining literary meetings, seminars, artistic performances, and children's activities.

Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)