The 21st edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair comes to the capital 15th to 20th March. With a huge cultural programme, this family event is all about art, literature and creativity for all.
Fun for kids
Creativity Corner is an engaging spot for kids aged two to twelve to discover Literacy, Literature and Learning, featuring storytelling sessions in English and Arabic all day, a toddler area for kids aged two to five and workshops where kids can learn about writing, illustrating and all things books.
What’s cooking?
One of the most popular features of the book fair is the live cooking demonstrations in the Show Kitchen, where star chefs promote their latest cookbooks and serve up the latest in culinary excellence. This year see celebrity Chef Amy Piolo’s presentation about Arab cuisine.
Cool stuff for teens
Hear what happens when words go from one language to another in the Translation Jam, find out all about the Arab hip-hop scene and see performances from Emirati rappers, F3L. Aspiring poets can share their work at the Open Mic sessions, and budding writers can get all kinds of advice.
Performances to watch
Don’t miss the Sougha Women using ancient methods to make modern handicrafts. In addition, professional and amateur actors will perform twelve monologues from the world of theatre. Read your own poems on the Open Mic or hear readings from influential poets.
The French Connection
The Cultural Focus of this year’s fair will be France. Presentations will be given by a number of leading French figures including award-winning writer Patrick Chamoiseau, artist and illustrator Nicole Lambert, and former art journal editor Philippe Jodidio.
Calling all writers
With several publishers and agents in attendance, the book fair is just the place for anyone looking to get their work published or translated. Find out everything you need to know about e-publishing and how to become a writer, or see your manuscript in print with the self publishing machine.
Several authors of international acclaim will be on hand at this year’s book fair discussing their work and signing their books, like Åsne Seierstad, Norwegian journalist and author of the best-selling book about her experiences in Afghanistan, The Bookseller of Kabul.
"I am driven by my curiosity – when I travel, when I meet people, when I write. I write in order to find out something, to get to know something. I try to be open-minded, and not judge by my prejudices or conceptions of how I believe things are. But of course, I am Scandinavian, and I can´t deny that my view of the world since early childhood has been formed by my upbringing in Norway, where peace, equality and justice most of the time prevail. My field of interest has always been outside the safety of my home country though – I am drawn to look into conflicts, wars and crisis and how they affect the people who experience them."
Did you know...
The Wink e-reader will be on display and available to buy in the Middle East for the first time, courtesy of E C Media (International). The nifty little gadget is supported by 15 different languages and offers over 200,000 ebook titles, making it very attractive for
international readers.
Get a jump on literary fever at this weekend’s book swap at Marina Mall. Simply bring a book and take a book; any leftover books will be donated to local universities or charities.
The calendar of events for the 2011 Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is absolutely crammed. Find out everything you need to know at www.adbookfair.com.
Why you should go to the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2011
Ruth Burrows, mother andillustrator of the Noura’s World series of tri-lingual books for children, will be presenting her work
“I will be attending the book fair every day this year as I have a stand in 'Illustrator's Corner'. I'm looking forward to networking, attending the seminars and showcasing my work. I've been working as a designer and illustrator in Abu Dhabi for many years so it's nice to have an event that deals specifically with my line of work.”
Lucy, mother of Marcus and Janelle, has big plans for this year’s book fair
“I love to cook, so I’m really looking forward to seeing the cooking demonstrations, and there will be a lot of fun things for the kids to do in the Creativity Corner.”
Laura, mother of Hugo, Belinda and Alex, enjoyed last year’s book fair
"It was well organised for young children as well as adults – I could do a bit of shopping round the stalls, there were raffles and kids’ entertainment was provided with a play area and magician. It was a good couple of hours for myself and the kids."
Belinda, age nearly five, had a
great time last year
"It was brilliant playing games, and the tricks the magician did were amazing. I liked the shops with toys and books, and I got a small teddy bear."
Reem, age nine, filled up her library at the book fair last year
“The books were really good, especially Goosebumps. I'm looking forward to seeing more books and toys at the fair this year.”
IT engineer Sami is eager to see the performances and maybe share his own work
“I can’t wait to see the Emirati rap artists (that should be really cool) and I might even get up and read some of my own poetry.”
Laura Fulton
Lucy, mother of Marcus and Janelle, has big plans for this year’s book fair
“I love to cook, so I’m really looking forward to seeing the cooking demonstrations, and there will be a lot of fun things for the kids to do in the Creativity Corner.”
“I love to cook, so I’m really looking forward to seeing the cooking demonstrations, and there will be a lot of fun things for the kids to do in the Creativity Corner.”
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