The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and Goethe-Institut are holding a press conference on Thursday, April 21, at 11:00am at Sharjah Expo Centre as part of the 8th edition of Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF). The conference will reveal the details of the 5th edition of the ‘Books – Made in UAE’ project, which is organised in collaboration with Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children (AJCCC) and sponsored by Knowledge without Borders (KWB).

Among those who will be attending the press conference are Marwa Obaid Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY Executive Board, Dr. Gabriele Landwehr, General Director of the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region, Rashid Al Kous, General Manager of KWB and Dr. Mona Al Bahar, CEO of Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children (AJCCC). A number of representatives of government authorities and private organisations will also be present at the press conference, which will also highlight the results of the previous editions of the ‘Books – Made in UAE’ project.

In addition to revealing the details of the ‘Books – Made in UAE’ new edition, the press conference has been designed as a forum for Emirati authors and illustrators, as well as experts in the field of children’s literature, to meet and network. UAEBBY is calling for media representatives, publishers, authors, illustrators and all those who are interested in receiving information about the latest edition of ‘Books – Made in UAE’ to attend the conference, which is open to all.

The 2016 edition of ‘Books – Made in UAE’ is organised by UAEBBY and the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region in collaboration with Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children (AJCCC). Sponsored by KWB, the project aims to encourage Emirati authors and illustrators to develop their skills in the field of children’s literature and to promote their books inside and outside the UAE.

‘Books – Made in UAE’ seeks to inspire those involved in the children’s book industry to create Emirati reading material that reflects the UAE nation’s values and culture, with the books containing valuable text and attractive illustrations that raise the interest of children and piques their imagination. For the past four years, the project has been successful in building the capacities and skills of young Emirati authors and illustrators under the supervision of a group of international experts.

Previous editions of ‘Books – Made in UAE’ have focused on a variety of subjects, including illustrated literature. Its organisers have grouped well-known children’s books authors and illustrators from Germany with aspiring Emirati talents so that they can cooperate and create stories through a series of workshops arranged by UAEBBY and the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region. The project has developed the skills of talented authors of young adult books, in particular those writing in the genre of science-fiction.