November is a very exciting month for us bookworms and reading fanatics here in the UAE. It’s the month of the Annual Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF). Needless to say, this event was started by the godfather of literature and culture in the UAE, His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah. The SIBF was started on year 1982, which makes this year the 32nd year of having this greatness under the slogan “For The Love Of The Written Word”.
Personally, to a large extent, this book fair has cultivated my love for books and reading through out my childhood. At a time where bookshops and their offerings in the country were scarce to an extent, SIBF came every year with a promise of a whole new world of books, novels, encyclopedias, comics, and all kind of reading material we could ever wish for! It gave me something to look forward to every year, and it made me appreciate books even much more with having to wait for it in this special way.
I must admit, for the past decade or so, with the rise of bookshops and the digital content, I have stopped going to the SIBF, but for some reason I went last year and was reminded with every reason why I loved going to it as a kid and I realized I still love it and still can find books that I wouldn’t find elsewhere. So whether you’re a frequent Kinokuniya goer, or an avid Kindle reader, do make the time to go to Sharjah International Book Fair, it is an experience not to be missed at all, it will be from the 6th till the 16th of November this year. Please note that I didn’t condition going to it it with a love of reading, cause I truly believe everyone could love reading, they just need to find the right books for them to read.
Moreover on the SIBF topic, one of our young columnists, Alia AlHazami, will be there publishing her debut novel “Alatash” on the 7th of November and she will be available for book signing as well. We’re very proud of our Alia and looking forward to read her book.
On a separate note, as we all know, the long awaited for decision on what city will host Expo 2020 will be announced on 27th of this month. The final shortlisted countries are: Brazil, Russia, Turkey, and the UAE. We are all hopeful that the UAE’s bid will win and we’re fully supporting it. The assigned committee will announce the decision just 5 days before our 42nd National Day. Should we be granted the expo, this would be the beginning of mind-blowing stuff to come. But as some has been saying, Dubai will make the expo not the other way around, as Dubai always redefines new high standards for everything we embark on, and we raise the benchmark way up high.
In light of this, we are hosting a writing contest about this topic. We will be posting the criteria of the competition by the 2nd of November, and the deadline of submission will be on the 12th of November. The winner will have their piece published on our December issue, and may get some other prizes. Click here to know the competition’s criteria and how you can join us in it.
And now, Issue #44 – November 2013 in brief:
- Beyond Inspiration – When Feelings Speak: AlAnoud AlMadhi sheds light on the importance of expressing feelings and how that could outburst an amazing talent you never knew you had.
- Hidden Promises – My Darling: Alia AlHazami reflects on pain. It comes in all sorts of forms and the worst thing of it all is learning how to live with them.
- Lost In Reverie – What Doesn’t Kill You: Alwid Lootah expresses how we are all stronger than we think and that the battles we encounter in life only made us the strong people we are today.
- Mental Pondering – Human Punching Bag: Budoor AlYousuf researches into the theories that say humans need to vent and express their emotions, does science back those theories? If it does, what is the correct way of expressing emotions and who is the right person?
- Of Ships and Kings – Ohana: Joined by geography, yet separated by ideologies. Omar AlOwais explores how differences in mentalities cause rifts.
- Out of Copyright – The Butterfly Effect: Muna AlMulla shares a concept of the butterfly effect which has been around for years, however, some individuals may not be aware on how small, seemingly insignificant decisions can affect their lives.
Enjoy our reads, and don’t forget to check out our illustrations by our creative team: Anood AlMulla, Dana AlAttar, Fatma AlHashemi, and Maha Bin Fares.
To keep up with our monthly-published issues and to know about any of our coming events, make sure you register with us by clicking here.
Warm regards,
Iman Ben Chaibah
Editor in Chief
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