Lead:
Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad al-Qasimi, ruler of Sharjah and member of the Supreme Council, inaugurated the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair at Expo Centre Sharjah, attracting publishers and cultural organizations from around the world. The event underscores Sharjah's position as a global cultural and knowledge center, offering audiences access to latest publications and accompanying cultural programs and activities.
Details:
The book fair, held at Expo Centre Sharjah, represents a continuation of the emirate's strategy to position itself as a premier international platform bringing together publishers, writers, and creative professionals. According to the source material, the event enables public engagement with new editions while participating in cultural and literary programming running parallel to the exhibition itself.
Sheikh Sultan's role in launching the fair reflects broader institutional investment in knowledge dissemination and cultural exchange. The ruler has simultaneously pursued several cultural initiatives, including the recent issuance of a 61-volume encyclopedia titled "The Portuguese in the Indian Ocean: Events in Chronicles from 1497 to 1750 CE" in Arabic and English, delivered across a broadcast interview with Mohammad Hassan Khalaf, director general of Sharjah Radio and Television Authority.
Additionally, Sheikh Sultan issued an emirate decree establishing the Harun al-Rashid International Prize for Sciences, Literature, Arts, and Media. The award aims to recognize distinguished achievements and qualitative contributions with impact across those fields, granting the prize full legal personality, financial independence, and administrative autonomy to pursue its objectives and exercise its responsibilities.
The ruler also opened the first phase of a new traffic corridor development project linking Sharjah to Dubai, including partial opening of the Al-Taawun intersection and activation of new bridges and intersections. The phase enables one-way traffic flow from Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed Road toward Sharjah Expo Centre, facilitating visitor access and traffic flow, particularly during the book fair.
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