PARIS: Culture is the cornerstone of the strategic relations between France and the UAE, said French President Emmanuel Macron while expressing his pleasure at the two countries’ extensive investment in the cultural field through supporting translation projects between Arabic and French.
Speaking to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) in Paris during his visit to the UAE pavilion at the Paris International Book Fair, Macron said, “The strategic relations between the UAE and France are a role model of successful relations and I hope that culture will take the lion’s share of all cooperation projects that will bring together the two friendly countries.
“I am very happy to be at the UAE pavilion, which is well known for investing in French language books and translation between Arabic and French. This issue is very important and makes me proud, especially as it comes a few months after the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and as Sharjah will be the World Book Capital after Conakry and Athens. It is a very important cultural transition,“ the French president added.
In response to a question on the status of culture in the cooperation relations between France and the UAE, Macron said: “Culture occupies a very important place in the UAE-France relations, one which I made clear during my speech while opening the Louvre Abu Dhabi. I deeply believe in this great status of culture in order to build our future together.”
The UAE is participating in the 38th edition of the Paris International Book Fair, which selected Sharjah as a distinguished guest in a delegation comprising more than 150 writers, media, artists and intellectuals.
