Sharjah: Highlighting the key role played by publishers of Children’s literature in developing young generations, Shaikha Budoor Al Qasimi said literature has the power of promoting the understanding of different cultures.
Speaking during a panel discussion at Paris Book Fair, Shaikha Budoor, who is the founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, said literature has the capacity to enhance dialogue between world’s cultures.
“Literature has the capacity to travel far and wide and helps us explore a world outside of our own. The role of the publishers of children’s books is to publish material that has a positive moral impact on children, helping them to understand many ethical and cultural values about life, and emphasise their role and duty towards humanity,” Shaikha Budoor said during the panel discussion on ‘The importance of Partnerships with Local Publishers and Their Role in Reaching Wider Audiences and Enhancing Business Opportunities’.
The panel included Hedwige Pasquet, CEO of Gallimard Jeunesse, and was moderated by journalist Olivia Snaije.
Shaikha Budoor highlighted the strategic outcomes of Kalimat’s recent collaboration with a number of foreign publishers, including France’s own Gallimard Jeunnesse.
“The translation of our books and creation of new partnerships across the world opens up new markets and gives us access to new readers, creating opportunities for cooperation in exchanging knowledge. Ultimately, our aim is to encourage more translation and working with international partners who have the same desire and vision of working on a global scale,” she said.
Shaikha Budoor highlighted translation as one of the most effective tools to transcend language barriers, bring cultures together and access foreign societies through their literature.
Pasquet agreed: “Children need to get what is the best from literature, and with our partnership with Kalimat, we felt that it is the best way to give them the best Arabic literature. We feel it is very important for the children to get international cultures, because if we want the children to get to understand themselves and talk together and discover the different countries, it is important that this happens through books.”
