Sharjah, November 12, 2022:  HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), received and welcomed a Syrian delegation comprising HE Dr. Darem Tabbaa, Minister of Education; HE Dr. Ghassan Abbas, Ambassador of Syria to the UAE; and Kinan Zahreddine, Syrian Consul-General in Dubai, to the 41st Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF).

In discussions with the Syrian delegation, Al Ameri explored opportunities to strengthen cultural cooperation and reaffirmed the role of book fairs in enhancing communication and cultural bonds between Arab countries.

The SBA Chairman said: 'The Syrian cultural movement has provided the Arab world with a galaxy of authors, poets and intellectuals that has enriched the Arabic library. It is an honour to present their distinguished words and celebrate their achievements through the SIBF platform.' 

Al Ameri lauded the valuable participation of Syria at the 41st SIBF through a wide representation of both publishers and guests.

The SBA Chairman added: 'In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed AlQasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the emirate uses culture as a platform to assert the power of books in strengthening channels of communication and establishing partnerships between Arab and international countries. We are delighted to receive the Syrian delegation and look forward to establishing new cultural partnerships that build on the messages and offerings of SIBF.'

The SIBF Publishing Conference and the annual SIBF have hosted 59 Syrian publishers and a number of writers and poets including Amer Al Debek, Suliman El Ibrahim, Abdulrazzaq Al Derbas, Hamza El Youssef, Fateh Al-Bayoush, Youssef Al Hamoud, Dr. Adeeb Hasan, Mohanad Al Sharif, Dr. Mohammad Bashir Al Ahmed, Ismail Dua, Qamar Sabri, alongside media personalities and Syrian intellectuals including Fadi Azzam, Rama Imad Kanawati, and Jean Dost.