ABU DHABI, 14th March 2024 (WAM) — The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism—Abu Dhabi, is participating in the UAE Reading Month, which is held annually in March.
The centre is organising a comprehensive cultural programme of events and activities for people of all ages.
As part of the programme, the Centre is organising sessions dedicated to culture, literature, and dialogue, featuring an elite group of writers, thinkers, and poets.
Additionally, the programme encompasses other activities, including the “Khazanat Al Kutub” initiative designed to enrich participants’ cultural and intellectual knowledge, promote the Arabic language, nurture a love for reading, and highlight the importance of books and their role as an essential tool for human development.
Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said, “The UAE Reading Month is a significant cultural and developmental initiative. Reading plays a crucial role in building and advancing human knowledge and is an essential pillar of social development. The Reading Month, with its distinctive activities, highlights the country’s commitment to developing a culture of reading. Each year, events are organised to connect all members of society with the Arabic language through books to improve knowledge and understanding across society.”
The ALC is organising a “Library Treasures Event” session, to be hosted by the Children’s Library at the Cultural Foundation and Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi on 23rd and 24th March. This event will feature reading sessions for unique cultural publications from “Khazanat Al Kutub” and will create dedicated platforms for books across various shopping centres in Abu Dhabi, to increase the visibility of books and enrich the cultural experiences of members of the community. The session will feature dedicated workshops led by Haya Al Qassim and Maryam Al Jassmi on drawing, Arabic calligraphy, and handicrafts.
The ALC will host a virtual workshop for members of the Ministry of Interior. The workshop aims to introduce them to the Specialised Libraries Department website and guide them through the process of subscribing, searching, and targeting the databases available on the platform. The Specialised Libraries Department team will lead the session and will address all aspects pertaining to the website.
The Centre will organise an Arabic Calligraphy session where calligrapher Ismail Al Hosni will share his experience and discuss the history of the artform. He will also highlight the UAE’s role in preserving the art of Arabic calligraphy and its tools internationally. Additionally, the session will emphasise the significance of poetry in terms of its aesthetics and status. To celebrate World Poetry Day on 21st March, the ALC is organising a poetry evening. This event will feature a group of poets who will showcase the beauty of Arabic poetry and language, and underline the important role of poets in creating innovative and profound literary compositions.
To promote reading and encourage the habit of reading among the people of the UAE, the Cabinet has declared the month of March as the National Reading Month every year in support of the Ministry of Culture’s initiatives.
