The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation showcased translated versions of 30 bestsellers on topics ranging from literature to management and science at the London Book Fair in London.

The books represent the foundation’s initial contribution to the Arabic library as part of its ‘Tarjem’ project, achieved in collaboration with a number of leading translation agencies in the region.

The translated works included 'An Inconvenient Truth' by former US vice-president Al Gore that has documented the reality of global warming; 'The Google Story' by Pulitzer Prize-winning David Vise and renowned researcher Mark Malseed; as well as 'Memories of a Survivor' by Nobel-Prize winner Doris Lessing.

The Arabic versions of all the 30 books will be available to readers in the region by end May.

The foundation's delegation headed by vice-president for culture, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, Yasser Hareb leveraged the platform of the London Book Fair to hold a series of talks with leading regional and international publishers, intellectuals and thought leaders.

"The international book fair was an excellent platform to highlight the Foundation's objectives, key initiatives and programmes to Europe’s literary community. The fair also enabled us to explore new cooperation avenues with key players in the Arab and global publishing sector," said director of culture Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation Jamal Al Shehi.

On the sidelines of the book fair, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation felicitated five Arab publishers short-listed for the British Council International Young Publishing Entrepreneur of the Year (IYPE) award 2008, prior to the gala award ceremony.

Among those honoured were Mansoor Abulhoul, Jerboa Books (UAE); Karim Elias, Elias Publishing House (Egypt); Nadine Touma, Dar Onboz (Lebanon); Thuraya Batterjee, Kadi & Ramadi Publishing House (Saudi Arabia), and Nashwan Al Maghafi, Yemen Bookshop (Yemen) who bagged the IYPE 2008 award.

During the ceremony, Cheri Blair, wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, hailed the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation’s role in promoting Arab intellectual output.

Applauding the foundation’s initiative to publish 10 titles for each Arab publishing house shortlisted for the awards, Cheri Blair also praised its commitment to buy 1,500 books of each of the published titles.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation was launched in May 2007 with an endowment of $10 billion to invest in a series of programmes that provide the necessary infrastructure and create an environment conducive for knowledge creation in the Arab world.- TradeArabia News Service