Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi International Book Fair will this year celebrate one of the greatest Arab poets.
Abu Al Tayyeb Al Mutanabbi, the tenth century poet who claimed his literature was seen by the blind and his words were heard by the deaf, is the focus personality of the 24th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF).
The book fair, organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), will be held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) from April 30 to May 5.
“The authority has decided to begin a new tradition at the fair, starting this year, which will see the event celebrate prominent cultural personalities, giving them named, headline status,” Dr Ali Bin Tamim, Executive Director of the National Library Division at TCA Abu Dhabi, told a press conference on Tuesday.
He said part of the fair’s cultural programme will be dedicated to discuss Al Mutanabbi’s influence, legacy, and works in special seminars, as participants seek to shed light on writers and intellectuals who carried the torch of knowledge and inspired future generations.
Five hundred thousand book titles will be displayed at the fair, which will also have an e-zone section with electronic books and related gadgets, Bin Tamim told Gulf News. “Last year, around 225,000 people visited the fair, and we expect more visitors this year thanks to the intensive publicity campaigns.”
He added that a campaign, titled “Abu Dhabi Reads” and organised in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Education Council, may attract more schoolchildren and their families to the fair, which will be open from 9am to 10pm.
“Old and modern history is teeming with the names of great innovators who contributed to shaping the consciousness of successive generations and worked towards crystallising Arab thought to give it cultural value amongst world nations. They also contributed to shaping the different dimensions of the human character. Their thought processes are a great source of pride for us, and we have a responsibility to pass this rich heritage to our future generations by making this heritage available and open for discussion, dialogue, and rereading,” Bin Tamim said.
Inspiration
Al Mutanabbi’s influence is still felt in the region’s daily life and is a source of inspiration. Many literary studies consider him to be the greatest Arab poet of all times for his unparalleled eloquence, which enabled him to produce the finest poetry of wisdom, philosophy, and life, he said.
The fair will have a special pavilion for Al Mutanabbi, featuring an international library of his poetry collections and dissertations written about him in Arabic, English, French, Russian, Spanish and other languages.
Moreover, ‘Majlis Al Mutanabbi’ (Al Mutanabbi Assembly) will host daily lectures and seminars, which will revisit the poet’s life, including discovering the poet’s home in Aleppo and the project to convert it into a museum. The assembly will also feature ‘Wahat Al Mutanabbi’ (Al Mutanabbi’s Oasis) — a dedicated website that provides information about Al Mutanabbi’s poetry and life, supported by dozens of old and modern documents.
Further, an art exhibition inspired by Al Mutanabbi’s poetry and personality will be held throughout the fair, with prominent artists presenting different artistic visions of the poet and his inspirational work.
