SHARJAH: The UAE Board on Books for Young people (UAEBBY), the national section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) has announced the inauguration of its first board members.
The announcement was made during Thursday’s meeting in the presence of Shaikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, UAEBBY honorary president, the newly appointed board members and the UAEBBY work team.
The new board includes Noura Al No’man, Director of the Executive Office of Shaikha Jawaher Al Qasimi, and Marwa Obaid Al Aqroubi, Business Development Manager at the Executive Office of Shaikha Bodour.
It also includes Maitha Al Khayat, a children’s book author and illustrator; Qais Mohammad Sidqi, publisher and founder of PageFlip Publishing; Shaikha Al Mehairi, Head of Library Services at the Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture; Nasser Ahmad Nasrallah, Vice Chairman of the Emirates Fine Arts Society; and Rashid Al Kous, Project Manager of Knowledge without Borders.
During the meeting, Marwa was unanimously selected president of the UAEBBY Board Members due to her vast experience in the field and her wide network of professional contacts in children’s literature on both the Arab and international level. The board will serve for a term of two years.
Shaikha Bodour expressed her delight and satisfaction with the establishment of the UAEBBY’s first board members, and proclaimed her confidence in its members. She bid them every success in executing their new assignments.
“Since the establishment of the UAEBBY in January 2012, we have been striving to bring about a positive change in children’s literature by raising awareness and highlighting the importance of promoting children’s literature and fostering a love of and respect for culture among children and young people. We have always been keen to provide tools and lend support to help promote children’s literature and culture. To this end programmes and workshops were organised to enhance the concept of having fun through reading, as well as various projects that stimulate and encourage children and young people to read and be creative,” Shaikha Bodour said.
She added, “The UAEBBY has contributed to enriching Emirati and Arabic children’s literature, and we have previously appointed 12 ambassadors of writers, illustrators and publishers. The most active and interactive ambassadors were selected as members of the first UAEBBY Board, so as to press ahead with our plans and approach to achieve further successes and to create a generation of book lovers and readers. Each member possesses the drive to bring about a real change to children’s lives and future through books.”
