Encouraging reading is important today
The good thing is that reading is more relevant than ever
The 23rd Abu Dhabi International Book Fair opens today at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The annual fair, held under the patronage of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, aims to develop the book and publishing industry and promote reading in the Arab World.
Encouraging reading is especially important today, considering that coming generations will increasingly be exposed to an internet-based culture, where videos, pictures and 140-word text messages will be the dominant form of communication. While modern information technology is a wonderful thing, it cannot compare to the experience of reading a book. Encouraging everyone to read books is a great way to connect current generations to the history and traditions of not only their own culture, but also to that of the world around them. It is also one of the best ways to develop a politically, economically and socially aware and educated society.
