Sharjah: Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), chaired the Authority’s third board meeting on the sidelines of the 43rd edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair.
Sheikha Bodour expressed her gratitude for the visionary guidance of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, whose dedication to cultural diplomacy fuels SBA’s mission of international engagement.
She highlighted the recent establishment of the Arab Cultural Institute in Milan as a pioneering effort to connect Arab culture with the world. SBA has ambitious plans to establish similar institutes in key global cities, with the goal of fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.
Sheikha Bodour announced that digital transformation remains a key focus in the authority’s strategy. “Digital advancements are essential to amplifying the reach and impact of SIBF and SBA’s wider initiatives,” she said.
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The board reviewed the strategic pillars defined in prior sessions and celebrated SBA’s recent accomplishments, including the successful hosting of the Booksellers Conference, the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, the Sharjah Animation Conference, the Sharjah Children’s Book Illustration Exhibition, and Sharjah’s prominent role in international book fairs.
The board discussed plans to enhance the SIBF Awards’ appeal to a global audience and the launch of a specialised publishing programme to build international expertise and skill development among Emirati publishers.
