Dubai: The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF), in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has joined the London Book Fair, one of the largest international book fairs and the most attractive for visitors, publishing houses and creative writers.
The event kicked off on Tuesday (April 18, 2023) and runs till Thursday (April 20) in Olympia, London.
Three-day fair
During the course of three days, MBRF’s pavilion will feature a number of knowledge activities and events, including dialogue sessions, seminars, and meetings with academics and students.
Together with hosting “KnowTalks” and “Knowledge Lounge” sessions, the events will also include highlighting the results of the Global Knowledge Index and the Future of Knowledge: A Foresight Report.
Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF, said: “We are excited to take part in the latest edition of London Book Fair, one of the oldest and most prestigious book forums that unite authors, publishers, academics, thought leaders, creators of knowledge content, and readers from all over the world.
“Our participation in this event gives us a platform to discuss its initiatives, programs, initiative’s role in advancing development on a global scale, while also providing countries with indicators and tools to address their weaknesses and explore new avenues for intellectual and academic development, make knowledge resources more accessible, and inspire the next generation to read, write, and learn.”
Bin Huwaireb added: “At MBRF, we place a high value on participating in international exhibitions and forums in order to strengthen our relationships with the knowledge industry’s top players, keep up with the latest knowledge trends and predict their future directions, promote the UAE’s position in the global knowledge scene, and highlight the UAE’s pioneering work in transforming its economy to one that is based on knowledge and innovation.
"MBRF is also eager to draw attention to the components that strengthen the position of the Emirate of Dubai and the UAE as incubators for excellence, knowledge innovation, publishers and authors and an ideal location for investing in the creative sector.”
Changing role of storyteller
On the first day, “KnowTalks” will host a discussion session under the theme “Storytelling... the Tech-late transformation” which will be moderated by trainer Maria Ingold.
The discussion will focus on how the role of the ‘storyteller’ has changed in the technological age, how stories are being told in new ways considering technical advancements, and how using new technologies has affected audience experiences and storytelling.
The MBRF will host a discussion with Fahd Al-Awda, Ibrahim Al Sinan, and translator Dalal Al-Nasrallah under the topic ‘Translations from and to Arabic... Contemporary Reality and Aspirations’ as part of Knowledge Lounge.
The MBRF will also present the sessions of the Youth Forum and examine the findings and outputs of the Global Knowledge Index and the Future of Knowledge: A Foresight Report.
Also, a workshop teaching child how to draw stories will be hosted by trainer Fatima Al-Amiri. A panel discussion titled ‘Ramadan in the Memory of the World’ will also be held, in which trainers from the Dubai International Program for Writing will participate.
Meeting with scholars
The MBRF will have a meeting with scholarship recipients in the UK on the second day under the theme ‘Dialogues Across Borders... Homeland and the Future.
Youssef Tuqan, Senior Solutions Consultant at Coursera, will present a session on “Academic Creativity... Where Learning Meets Imagination” as part of KnowTalks.
Erica Wolfe-Murray will hold a session on “Intellectual property: a game changer for creatives”.
This session will focus on understanding intellectual property rules and how they relate to creative works, protecting intellectual property and predicting legal issues, and the function of intellectual property in encouraging innovation and creativity.
Furthermore, MBRF will host two sessions under the Knowledge Lounge: one on “Identity Smell and the Modern History of Dubai - Spice Circle novel”, in which critic Haitham Hussein will speak with author Saleha Obaid; and the other on ‘Prose Readings in English,’ where Dr. Afra Ateeq will discuss the relationship between prose and knowledge.
Interaction
Moreover, the MBRF will host a workshop on travel writing with trainer Wafaa Al-Mazghani.
On the third day of the fair, MBRF will host a new KnowTalks session titled "Rebuilding the Creative Economy... Putting (Art) in (Restart)” with Shaima Samir, an entrepreneur, and CEO of Made by Brands, along with another session titled “Engaging Fans 2.0: Innovations and Ethics” with journalist Layla Maghribi to discuss how creators and publishers interact with their fans in novel and innovative ways, as well as examples of successful fan interaction campaigns.
Additionally, the MBRF will host two Knowledge Lounge sessions: "The Completion of Knowledge with Arts and Literature" with Fai Nasser and "The Message of Transmitting the Arabic Book to the Globe (Banibal)" with Samuel Chamoun and Marguerite Obank. There will also be a workshop on scientific translation led by trainer Ghanem Al-Samarrai.
