The 65th Seoul International Book Fair opens with Sharjah as Guest of Honour
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Seoul, the capital of South Korea, hoisted the UAE’s flag high in celebration of Sharjah, the Guest of Honour at the 65th Seoul International Book Fair, which commenced with an inspiring Korean-Emirati cultural dialogue today (Wednesday). This vibrant cross-cultural exchange will continue to grow, flourish and inspire over the next four days until June 18, and testifies to the prestigious literary event’s deep appreciation for the emirate’s unparalleled expertise in translating the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed AlQasimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, to build bridges with nations and cities worldwide.
The book fair’s opening ceremony was held in the presence of HE Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah’s Government Relations Department (DGR) and head of the Sharjah delegation to Seoul; Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Book Authority Board (SBA); Sheikh Saud Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Director of the Sharjah Digital Office; HE Kim Keon-hee, First Lady of the Republic of Korea; H.E. Abdulla Saif Ali Slayem AlNuaimi, UAE Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA; HE Dr. Abdulaziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, Cheol-ho Yoon, Chairman of the Korean Publishers Association and Chairman of Seoul International Book Fair; and other senior officials and VIPs.
The Sharjah delegation includes 180 representatives from government institutions and UAE media, who as part of the emirate’s Guest of Honour programme, will advance His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah’s cultural project that fuels global cultural exchange by presenting fair visitors, publishers, educators, and others a vivid picture of the emirate’s successful experience in disseminating knowledge, art, and literature.
In his keynote speech, Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of DGR, and head of the Sharjah delegation praised South Korea’s leading efforts to preserve its heritage, and also successfully adopt technology to immerse the world in its literature, culture, language, food and entertainment.
“It is something I understand very well because His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed AlQasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, has been leading Sharjah the same way,”
he further remarked adding that it is this very “vision for development of education, culture and knowledge while protecting our heritage, and a vision to build innovation on the backbone of a strong and unique identity in a more and more homogenous global culture” that nurtures successive generations with a deep rooted mutual respect and understanding of other cultures.
In conclusion, the DGR Chairman said:
“The presence of Sharjah as a Guest of Honour at the Seoul International Book Fair raises a fundamental question for us: why are we here and what do we want to offer the Korean audience? We are not here just to showcase our publications, or our cultural, artistic and literary initiatives and events. We are here to participate in a cultural dialogue that contributes to enhancing civilisational exchange. We look forward to learning from South Korea’s experience in education, creativity, development and adopting advanced technologies. Our presence amongst you all reflects our deep faith in culture as a medium to know others, as a tool for learning, creativity and development, and as a value that upholds heritage, identity and belongingness.”
Bodour Al Qasimi: We share a common experience in investing in culture
For her part, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Chairperson of SBA said: “Sharjah and South Korea share a common experience in investing in culture to create a flourishing cultural scene that inspires the world and contributes to socioeconomic progress. For over five decades, the emirate has built a cultural environment centred around books and reading, based on its belief in the key role of books in developing nations and societies, particularly the younger generations. Sharjah’s openness to other cultures and peoples and our committed efforts to promote dialogue and understanding stems from this very belief in the positive influence of books and literature.”
“In every book fair, we have experienced magical moments of cultural curiosity, exchange and learning that have fostered respect for the nations we have visited. We always leave book fairs with the firm conviction that through these events we can promote peace, understanding and respect in this world. Book fairs are not just places to buy and sell books or exchange cultural knowledge. They are also key platforms to debate on issues and challenges we face as an industry and as a human family; two of them being climate change and sustainability,” she added.