A Platform Bringing Together Research, Documentation and Folk Narratives, Alongside a Diverse Cultural Programme
Bin Hareez: The Diversity of Our Publications Reflects the Breadth of Emirati Memory and the Richness of Its Sources
Sharjah – November 2026:
The Research and Studies Department at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center is participating in the 45th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair, held at Expo Centre Sharjah from November 4 to 15, with a programme that brings together research and historical publications, folk narratives, visual documentation, and explorations of various aspects of the UAE’s cultural and social memory.
The Center’s participation comes as an extension of its role in documenting national heritage and making it accessible to researchers, readers and the wider public through diverse knowledge-based formats.
Going beyond the display of publications, the Center’s participation offers content that opens dialogue around social and maritime history, local vocabulary, photography as a form of documentation, as well as personalities and experiences that have shaped aspects of the UAE’s cultural and artistic landscape.
A Memory of Many Paths
This year, the Center’s platform reflects the diversity of fields covered by the Research and Studies Department, moving from the sea, ships and trade routes to historical documents and photography, and from stories inspired by the local environment to poetry, art and oral heritage.
This diversity underscores the fact that Emirati heritage cannot be understood through a single source, but rather through a broad network of testimonies, documents, photographs, vocabulary and human experiences.
The programme opens with “Woodworking – Wooden Shipbuilding in the UAE,” featuring advisor Khalid Al Budoor, who will discuss the book project and shed light on an important aspect of Emirati society’s history, its relationship with the sea and the traditional industries associated with it.
The programme will also host Dr. Adel Ahmed Al Kassadi to present the expanded and revised edition of “Trade and Maritime Routes in the UAE in the Last Century,” documenting trade routes, maritime connections and their role in the country’s economic and social life.
Folk storytelling will also feature through author Maryam Al Zaabi, who will present the stories “Biyaha” and “Threads of Sadu,” offering a space that revisits storytelling as a means of transmitting knowledge, vocabulary and social values across generations.
When the Image Becomes a Document
The Center is dedicating part of its programme to visual memory through “Dubai 1960–1993: A Collection of Historical Photographs and Documents” by photographer Mohammed Shawkat Rafie.
The publication offers an opportunity to explore an important period of social transformation through photographs and documents, capturing details that written texts alone may not convey.
The programme also includes the presentation of “Photography… Narrating the Image”, Volumes One and Two, in cooperation with the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award.
Alongside the cultural programme, the platform is showcasing a collection of publications that broaden the scope of Emirati content presented to visitors. These include “Taranim Min Al Watar Al Jadeem – Artist Ali Balrougha”, as well as the expanded and revised edition of “Al Dahreez” by author Ali Mohammed Al Matrooshi.
Bin Hareez: Heritage Is Not a Single Path
Fatima Saif bin Hareez, Director of the Research and Studies Department at the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center, said:
“In this participation, we were keen not to present heritage as a single subject or a fixed form, because Emirati memory is far broader than that. We find it in the sea and trade routes, in an old photograph that preserves a moment in the history of a place, in a folk story and a local expression, as well as in poetry, art and historical documents.
“This is why the content of our platform is diverse, reflecting the multiple sources through which we read the history and culture of our society.”
Bin Hareez added: “Our participation in the Sharjah International Book Fair gives us an important opportunity to take research and documentation beyond the pages of publications and into a space of direct dialogue with readers.
“For us, the objective does not end with preserving or publishing material. It extends to making that material accessible, understandable and capable of reaching different generations, because the sustainability of heritage begins when preserved material is transformed into shared knowledge and continuous awareness.”
Bin Hareez stressed that the diversity of publications and activities reflects the nature of the work carried out by the Research and Studies Department in research, documentation, and the preservation of testimonies and various sources.
She noted that the Center’s presence at major cultural events forms part of its mission to strengthen knowledge of Emirati heritage and broaden the circle of those interested in it, including researchers, readers and younger generations.
The Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center’s platform will continue its activities throughout the fair, offering visitors insight into a selection of the Center’s projects, research publications and documentary works.
This participation is guided by a vision that seeks to preserve national memory while keeping it present within the cultural landscape and accessible to generations that read their history in order to gain a deeper understanding of the roots of their society and the paths of its development.