Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) is a governmental entity, established in 2014 in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. It operates in several sectors, under the literary umbrella; including publishing, printing, book translation, book festivals, and children's literature.WAM (Emirates News Agency), 2015. Sharjah Book Authority celebrates its first appearance at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
History and development The SBA was launched in 2014 by an Emiri decree of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.Khaleej Times, 2015. Sharjah Book Authority makes its presence felt. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
SBA participates in all international and regional book fairs like Frankfurt Book Fair,The National (Abu Dhabi), 2017. Sharjah Book Authority a major player at Frankfurt Book Fair. Retrieved 14 October 2017. London Book Fair,Gulf News, 2019. Sultan visits Sharjah Pavilion at London Book Fair. Retrieved 13 March 2019. Cairo International Book Fair,Gulf News, 2018. Sharjah highlights Cultural initiatives at Cairo book fair. Retrieved 7 November 2018. to name a few, and hosts numerous campaigns around the year to promote culture, literature, reading and the arts.Gulf News, 2019. Sharjah Book Authority Partners with Big Bad Wolf Book Sale. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
Scope of work
SBA leads on several cultural projects and events in the UAE, including Sharjah Publishing City,Khaleej Times, 2017. First publishing free zone in Sharjah attracts attention. Retrieved 21 January 2017. Sharjah Libraries,The National (Abu Dhabi), 2019. How Sharjah became the go-to destination for publishers and readers. Retrieved 22 September 2019. Sharjah Children's Reading Festival (SCRF),Gulf News, 2019. Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival: All you need to know Retrieved 7 April 2017.Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF)HuffPost, 2017. The Sharjah International Book Fair. Retrieved 7 December 2017Gulf News, 2019. Record turnout at Sharjah Book Fair. Retrieved 10 November 2019Milenio, 2019. Se va India y alistan llegada de Sharjah. Retrieved 8 December 2019.WAM (Emirates News Agency), 2019. SIBF sets Guinness World Record Retrieved 8 November 2019. and Sharjah Book Fair – Translation Grant Gulf News, 2018. Sharjah Book Authority participates in Expo America. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
SBA also organises the Publishers Conference as well as an annual joint conference with the American Library Association.Khaleej Times, 2017. Sharjah International Book fair to begin on November 1. Retrieved 4 October 2017.Gulf News, 2018. Sharjah International Book Fair welcomes 465,000 visitors. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
In May 2019, SBA launched a new event call the Emirati Book Fair, aimed at showcasing the literary history of the Persian Gulf region.
Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF)
Sharjah International Book Fair is an 11-day international book fair held annually in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. It was first launched in 1982, under the guidance and patronage of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, the UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.The New York Times, 2014. INYT Announced as the International Media Partner for the Sharjah International Book Fair. Retrieved 4 November 2014.HuffPost, 2017. The Sharjah International Book Fair. Retrieved 7 December 2017
SIBF 2018 hosted 1,874 publishing houses from 77 countries, with 1.6 million titles on display, including 80,000 new titles. The fair welcomed 2.23 million visitors, who had access to 20 million books.Khaleej Times, 2018. Over 2.23m visited Sharjah International Book Fair. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
SIBF Translations Grant Launched in 2011, on the occasion of the 30th annual Sharjah International Book Fair, the fund's monetary value is USD 300K. The Sharjah International Book Fair's Translations Grant Fund provides financial assistance to Arab and foreign publishers for the translation of different literary genres such as fiction, memoir, history, cookery, children's stories, adult's stories, poetry, and scientific books.Daily Pakistan, 2016. Sultan Al Qasimi inaugurates International Book Fair 2016. Retrieved 3 November 2016.WAM (Emirates News Agency), 2015. SIBF Translation Grant Fund receives record number of applications from publishers. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) The Sharjah Children's Reading Festival was launched in 2010. Since then, it has grown to become a cultural event aimed at fostering a love of reading among children. The festival features a wide range of activities including workshops, readings, and interactive sessions designed to inspire young minds. The 2024 festival will feature over 1,400 cultural, artistic, and educational activities, with participation from 470 publishers from 75 countries.
References
External links Sharjah Book Authority website Sharjah International Book Fair or Sharjah Book Fair website