The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, organized by the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, is taking place from April 26 to May 5 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The theme for this year is “Knowledge Society… Society of Knowledge,” featuring the inaugural session of the Guest of Honor program, which highlights Caribbean culture and its rich literary, intellectual, and artistic heritage. The Caribbean region, consisting of around 7,000 islands, is not merely a geographic area; it is a melting pot of cultures, memories, conflicts, and a unique literary voice.
Participating in this session were Dr. Ali Ben Tamim, Head of the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language, and Rensso Antonio Herrera Franco, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the UAE. The session was moderated by Aisha Eid Al Mazrouei, Director of Events and Book Fairs at the Abu Dhabi Center for the Arabic Language.
A Model of Diversity
Dr. Ali Ben Tamim began by stating, “The culture of the Caribbean region exemplifies a rare model of diversity and human openness.” He explained that this year’s fair takes place during a pivotal cultural moment marked by rapid changes in the presence and interaction with languages in an open and interconnected technological landscape. Amid these transformations, the fair continues to affirm its role as a gathering space for dialogue and interaction, serving as a global meeting point for wordsmiths and a beacon of Arabic culture with its depth and future vision.
He elaborated that the center has diligently worked to enhance this year’s fair to reflect its ambition to elevate the global presence of Arabic literature, expand translation opportunities, and enable publishers to forge sustainable international partnerships, with the Guest of Honor program being a key pillar of this effort.
Dr. Ben Tamim added, “By celebrating Caribbean culture, we aim to build authentic cultural bridges with world cultures, starting from this engagement that we wish to be genuine, based on respect, knowledge, collaboration, and a desire for discovery. This selection reflects the creative intellectual space of Caribbean culture, where multiple civilizations intersect to produce a unique blend of arts, literature, music, and social consciousness. This culture embodies creative diversity and the ability to transform historical challenges into paths of revival and artistic expression.”
He continued, “The culture of this region is characterized by its multifaceted sources and unique intersections between African, European, and Asian civilizations. It possesses a strong voice in post-colonial literature, where the word resists, the poem documents, and the novel serves as a collective memory of struggle. The Caribbean has gifted the world major literary and cultural figures, producing a distinctive human literature that addresses themes of identity, freedom, and justice.”
Dr. Ben Tamim stressed that hosting Caribbean culture as the Guest of Honor this year extends the vision of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair to open up to different cultures, highlighting literary experiences that can enrich global cultural dialogue. He urged publishers to adopt and translate these works, providing the necessary grants to achieve this, while also opening avenues for the audience to explore this culture in all its dimensions and establish a new ground for communication, contemplating the shared human values among our peoples, cultures, and historical experiences.
Knowledge and Cultures
In his remarks, Rensso Antonio Herrera Franco, the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, praised the significant focus on the culture of Caribbean nations within the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, noting that the Arab region encompasses a wide array of knowledge and cultures.
He stated, “In the Dominican Republic, we are one of the most diverse countries, and we have unique ties to the Arab world. We look forward to building more bridges with others in various regions of the world and see our participation in this fair as an opportunity to showcase Caribbean culture, marking a new step towards cooperation with other cultures.”
The fair’s agenda, featuring the Guest of Honor, includes a wide range of activities with the participation of prominent figures from Caribbean culture, who will share their knowledge and experiences with the eager public interested in intellectual and literary creativity.