The ‘1001 Titles’ initiative, launched by the Sharjah-based cultural project Knowledge without Borders (KwB), seeks to release 1001 Emirati books in 2016–17, aligning with the ‘Year of Reading’ 2016 campaign in the UAE, and increasing the nation’s contributions to cultural and creative literature.

KwB was launched by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah and is supervised by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, the head of its organising committee.

The initiative aims to establish reading as a noble habit in every household in the UAE by encouraging the establishment of home libraries and filling these libraries with the best reading material across a variety of genres suitable for the whole family.

The initiative recently organised a discussion panel which included leading authors and publishers, in the presence of Majd Al Shehhi, the manager of 1001 Titles and a team from KwB.

Taking place at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the session addressed ways of supporting Arab literature industry, the collaboration and coordination to organise events and workshops that support the publishing industry, and enable publishers to create distinctive titles that support the cultural sphere in the UAE.

"Over recent years, the UAE has launched an array of initiatives and projects that support reading. Literature is becoming an increasingly important part of life which helps to develop the people of the nation and adds to the progress of the community," stated Al Shehhi.

"Following the visionary directives of the leadership to make 2016 the Year of Reading in the UAE, there is even more emphasis on this vital source of education, entertainment and enlightenment," she said.

The session addressed a number of themes on the factors that will attract new authors and publishers to the initiative, with a special focus on participants’ evaluations and expectations of this experience.

The participants proposed a number of suggestions to increase the number of Emirati titles in the Arabic cultural sphere, including organising more literary events at cultural forums across the UAE.

The attendees also suggested holding a collective book-signing event in which the initiative’s key authors would be seen, as well as shed light on all participants in the initiative. They also suggested that organising events, exhibitions and book fairs within and outside the UAE, will increase the presence of the works published by the initiative in the region.

By the end of a fruitful and informative session, participants praised the key role ‘1001 Titles’ has been playing to guide and support their efforts in getting published, said Al Shehhi.

"They also highlighted that the initiative had broadened their scope of publications in as it has provided them the opportunity to focus on diverse genres like sports and tourism," she noted.

Al Shehhi said this was a starting point for many more fruitful interactions with authors and publishers.

"Participants to use 1001 Titles initiative as a stepping stone, to garner all the support they need to get published and marketed at the important literary events, book fairs and cultural carnivals, locally and internationally," she added.-TradeArabia News Service