In keeping with its dedication to intensifying Sharjah’s and the UAE’s culturally enriching landscape, the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), launched its very own Cultural Salon yesterday (Saturday), in cooperation with Kuttab Publishing House.

The salon will function as a cultural hub all year round, organising a plethora of intellectual activities and events like book signing ceremonies, authors’ sessions, poetry evenings, discussion panels and reading meets involving a host of Emirati and Arab authors, critics and poets.

Sharjah Publishing City (SPC) hosted this cultural majlis, which features a library that hosts a wide collection of novels, poetry collections, and works on heritage, history, languages, religions, health, sciences, economy and children’s literature, etc., published by Kuttab and other UAE-based and international publishing houses.

Salim Omar Salim, Director of SPC, said: “Launching the Cultural Salon aligns with SBA’s and SPC’s dedication to strengthen the UAE’s publishing sector, promote books and reading, as well as offer readers the opportunity to communicate with authors and intellectuals. We expect the salon to be a popular among visitors and participants, given the fact that it is a unique space designed to hosting an array of activities that will enrich the local cultural sphere, and enhance communication between all actors of the cultural and literary creative process.”

For his part, Jamal Al Shehhi, Founder and Director of Kuttab, said: “We are constantly seeking partnerships with government entities and public venues in the UAE for hosting cultural activities, and finally we have found a home at SBA. This is our first partnership with a state-run literary body, and we are excited to be hosting a cultural salon each week for passionate readers and cultural enthusiasts. The details of our weekly activities will be published on our social media account well in advance; so I request all to watch our social networking spaces. They have all been designed to capture the imagination of the larger community.” 

“The projects implemented by the SBA play a vital role in boosting the publishing industry in UAE and the Arab world. The best example is what we are doing in the SPC, which opens its doors wide open to all local and international publishing houses, and enable them to benefit from it potential opportunities and services in the world’s first publishing free zone, which is characterised by high capacity and more flexible laws and legislation,” he added.

The Cultural Salon’s inauguration ceremony was attended by a host of authors, intellectuals and publishers, who expressed their delight to be part of the initiative’s launch, which will support and foster the relationship between Sharjah and the publishing industry in general; particularly books.

This is yet another significant cultural milestone in Sharjah’s efforts to promote the community’s love for books, reading and intellectual discourses with literary figures in the region.

Established in 2014, SBA is dedicated to encouraging investment in creative industries and offering a platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people from different countries and cultures. Entrusted with emphasising the significant role of writers and their influence in spreading awareness of technological advancement and the availability of various sources of knowledge, SBA aims to attract relevant bodies and figures operating in the cultural sector in general and the publishing, printing and translation of books in particular, with a special focus on literature for children.