A Roundup on 39th Sharjah International Book Fair

Sharjah International Book Fair 2020 (SIBF) is in full swing and buzzing with activities. Here is a recap of the latest development in one of the most important cultural events of UAE.

128-year old book

The Egyptian “Hilal” publishing house introduced a collection of rare and historical books which dates back to 128 years ago. According to Marketing Director Ihab Al-Rifai “Rare works are shipped from Cairo to Sharjah with care. For us the most important thing is that their quality is preserved. The traditional yellow paper and the attractive scent are all authentic factors that we seek to preserve because it reflects the identity of our publishing house and its position. ».

Barack Obama’s presidential memoirs can now be pre-booked at SIBF

Great news for those interested in a first-hand account of what it means to hold arguably the most closely watched and heavily scrutinised leadership position in the world – Barack Obama’s first volume of presidential memoirs, scheduled for a worldwide release on November 17 – can now be pre-booked at the 39th Sharjah International Book Fair.

SIBF 2020 exhibitor, STM Middle East LLC, one of the largest book distributors in the GCC, is accepting pre-orders for A Promised Land: The Presidential Memoirs, Volume 1, a 768-page book that will be the first of two volumes.

To be released in 25 languages around the world, including Arabic, A Promised Land delves into the early political life of the former US President and covers his 2008 presidential campaign.

Safety First

The ‘safety first’ approach of the 39th Sharjah International Book Fair that adheres to internationally approved health and safety protocols to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease has enabled thousands of visitors to enjoy their book buying experience in a safe environment at Expo Centre Sharjah since the fair’s opening on November 4.

Taking their commitment to public health safety one step further, all exhibition halls at Expo Centre Sharjah are being disinfected daily by special personnel, who are taking medical grade sterilising trolleys across the fair venue, covering every nook and cranny during a 360-degree disinfection drive of both surfaces and the air, from 12 midnight to 5am daily.

The disinfection teams deploying the intelligent innovation launched by UAE-based Sanitize experts, begin in Halls 5 and 6. After two hours, they make their way to Halls 1 and 3.  With the ability to sterilise an 800 square metre area in 150 minutes, and said to be around 10 times the efficiency of other disinfection methods, the teams work in Halls 2 and 4 from 3.30am to 5am.

The multiple barrier approach of world-class UV disinfection systems is making the physical venue of SIBF 2020 a safer place for visitors and exhibitors until the fair concludes on November 14.

Among other health and safety protocols being observed are pre-registration of visitors in scheduled time slots, thermal scanners and colour coded bracelets to monitor entry and exit timings of all visitors.

The ‘safety first’ approach of the 39th Sharjah International Book Fair that adheres to internationally approved health and safety protocols to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease has enabled thousands of visitors to enjoy their book buying experience in a safe environment at Expo Centre Sharjah since the fair’s opening on November 4.

Taking their commitment to public health safety one step further, all exhibition halls at Expo Centre Sharjah are being disinfected daily by special personnel, who are taking medical grade sterilising trolleys across the fair venue, covering every nook and cranny during a 360-degree disinfection drive of both surfaces and the air, from 12 midnight to 5am daily.

Good News for Arabic language enthusiasts

For the UAE’s language enthusiasts eager to learn more about the historical development of the Arabic language – one of the most celebrated and richest languages of the world – Sharjah’s Arabic Language Academy (ALA) pavilion, in the Hall 5 corridor at the ongoing Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2020) is the place to be.

Here, visitors not only will be given an introduction to the Arabic language by leading linguistic experts in the UAE, but they will also have the opportunity to browse through ALA’s recent accomplishment that has made history in the field of language studies: the first eight volumes of their flagship project, The Historical Corpus of the Arabic Language, launched by HH Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

The project has been hailed as an unprecedented and monumental achievement for the Arab world, as this will be the most comprehensive historical corpus chronicling 17 centuries of the language.

These eight volumes document the original root of words starting with letters ‘hamzah’ ء)) and the ba (ب) and outline their fascinating evolution throughout five distinct time periods in history: Pre-Islamic period, the Islamic era from 1 AH to 132 AH, the Abbasid Caliphate from 133 AH to 656 AH, the development of nation states from 657 AH – 1213 AH, and the modern-day era from 1214 AH to date.

While at SIBF 2020, ALA is also showcasing the latest and past issues of their quarterly magazine Al Arabia Lisani (Arabic is my language), which is dedicated to highlighting the latest studies by Arabic language experts. The ALA pavilion is also showcasing the developmental phases and implementation process of Historical Corpus project, through informational posters and a video featuring interviews with members of the project’s executive committee.