News DeskAbu Dhabi, UAE – The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has unveiled the first phase of its community campaign to promote sustainable reading, titled ‘Knowledge Illuminates Our Community’, on Thursday, 27 February 2025, at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The event was attended by prominent figures from the UAE’s cultural, media, intellectual, and literary sectors.
The initiative aligns with the UAE’s declaration of 2025 as the ‘Year of Community’ and underscores the ALC’s commitment to enhancing the presence of the Arabic language and fostering a culture of reading across society. The campaign aims to unlock the potential of various community groups, particularly youth, by empowering them to master the Arabic language as a cornerstone of the UAE’s heritage and identity.
Coinciding with National Reading Month and the upcoming Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), the campaign features an ambitious agenda of 1,700 creative events and initiatives. These activities are being organised in collaboration with 100 government and private-sector entities, involving 100 creative talents and targeting 50,000 UAE citizens and residents from schools, universities, government institutions, and public spaces nationwide.
The campaign’s agenda spans 14 areas of interest, including reading clubs, discussion panels, creative writing workshops, intellectual lectures, art seminars, educational entertainment programmes, specialised courses, poetry readings, storytelling sessions, radio programmes, cultural competitions, AI-driven initiatives, and new book launches.
Leadership’s Vision for Sustainable Reading
In a statement, Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, emphasised the campaign’s alignment with the UAE leadership’s vision to promote the Arabic language as a pillar of community identity and reading as a cornerstone of intellectual advancement.
“Sustainable reading is crucial for achieving lasting intellectual development,” Dr. bin Tamim said. “It is a key foundation for building capabilities and enhancing the skills of community members, especially the youth, ensuring they stay connected with contemporary thought, culture, and technology.”
Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the ALC, added that the campaign employs innovative standards to enrich the community with knowledge derived from Arabic heritage, culture, and language, in line with UAE values and traditions.
Key Initiatives and Activities
The campaign includes a variety of high-profile activities, such as:
- 11 discussion panels organised by the Kalima Reading Club, featuring 30 creative participants.
- Five digital programmes targeting younger generations, including ‘We Read for Children’ in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Media Network and ‘Kalima in a Book’ hosted by media personality Ahmad Ali El Zein.
- Literary partnerships through the Kalima Project for Translation, collaborating with Qasr Al Hosn, Abrahamic Family House, and Abu Dhabi Children’s Library to host literary sessions on classical and Nabati poetry, cultural traditions, and spirituality during Ramadan.
- Children’s storytelling sessions featuring 18 narrators, produced by the ALC’s Kalima Project for Translation and Esdarat programme.
- Creative writing workshops under the Qalam Creative Writing Programme, focusing on short story writing and illustrating folk tales.
Additionally, the ALC will launch training programmes on creative writing, workshops for experts and technicians, and 10 specialised lectures on the Arabic language, including an introductory session on the Arabic Pals competition. The campaign will also feature international initiatives such as ‘Reading in Public’ and ‘Khazanat Al Kutub’.
Celebrating Award Winners
The agenda includes sessions with winners of prestigious awards organised by the ALC, such as the Sheikh Zayed Book Award. Award recipients will lead intellectual seminars, sharing their creative experiences and insights.
A Commitment to Knowledge and Identity
The community campaign reflects the ALC’s dedication to promoting reading as a sustainable culture and expanding the reach of Arabic content. By strengthening knowledge and enhancing community identity, the initiative aims to empower individuals to contribute to the UAE’s ongoing cultural renaissance.
