Image: Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
See also:
Sheikh Zayed Book Award Opens for 20th Edition Nominations
Murakami, Barakat in the UAE: Sheikh Zayed Book Award
Hoda Barakat, Haruki Murakami Lead Zayed Award Winners
To ‘Elevate Access to Arabic Literature’
As was announced on Sunday (September 14) at the International Congress of Arabic and Creative Industries in Abu Dhabi, a new partnership will bring Amazon—and its Audible audiobook company, among other elements—together with the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Center, to create what is being described as “the most comprehensive digital Arabic collection ever made.”
As many of our readers will recall, the “Congress ACI”—this year moved to its September time frame from what has formerly been a setting just before the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
As part of the program, both Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, and Dr. Ali Bin Tamim—chair of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre and secretary general of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award, were on-hand to introduce the new digital library program.
In his remarks on the new initiative, the culture and tourism chief Al Mubarak said:
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak
“The most comprehensive digital Arabic collection ever will be made available through a collaboration between Amazon and the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC)—a milestone that will elevate access to Arabic literature and champion our national language.
“The initiative will make thousands of Arabic-language books accessible in ebook and audiobook formats over the next three years, revolutionizing global access to Arabic literature and culture.
“The initiative supports the language center’s mission to promote Arabic readership globally, ensure the preservation and accessibility of Arabic heritage, and engage younger generations through modern reading formats, including Kindle and Audible.”
In further comments, Al Mubarak said, “Abu Dhabi is an international platform on which authentic Arabic narratives can stand. It’s a city proud of its heritage and identity, while it also is bridge-building creativity and diversity at the heart of the United Arab Emirates.
“Today, we prove that with our local voices we can enrich international culture, and that Arab creators’ voices are capable of reaching audiences everywhere, contributing to human connection and dialogue.”
Dr. Ali Bin Tamim
As a part of Dr. Bin Tamim’s contribution to the new program from the Arabic Language Center, results of a newly released study of opinions among young Arabs in almost a dozen countries were shown to indicate that there is widespread worry among respondents that Arabic is being diminished, especially in digital domains.
Some 40 percent of those surveyed reportedly said they’d be interested in creative-industry careers, while seeing financial instability, limited opportunities, and social pressure as barriers to following up on this interest.
The new digital library is to be made available through the Amazon-Arabic Language Center partnership, and has as one of its main goals a cultivation of some of the youthful interest surfaced in that new study.
Ronaldo Mouchawar
On hand for the announcement in Abu Dhabi was Ronaldo Mouchawar, vice-president of Amazon Middle East, Africa and Turkey, who said, in part, “The Arabic language is a pillar of our culture and identity, carrying centuries of knowledge, creativity, and connection.
“By collaborating with the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, we aim to celebrate and expand access to this rich heritage. Amazon began as a destination for books, and today we unite our stores, Amazon Ads solutions, and AWS cloud services to enable the most comprehensive Digital Arabic Library on Amazon.
“Together, we’re combining technology and culture to inspire readers and creators across the Arab world, sharing the beauty of Arabic globally.”
Steps to Come
In the next three years, the Language Center is to collaborate with publishers across the MENA region to digitize print titles. Amazon will amplify visibility through its extensive global marketing and distribution networks, and by, of course, preparing print titles across its digital formats.
The program reportedly also provides technical and operational support to help publishers adapt to the digital books sector, helping to shore up what has been in many parts of the Arab world, a slow uptake for both producers and readers of books.
One key element of the new program is to be a dedicated storefront from Amazon created for Arabic-language literature and cultural content—as one Gulf-area news medium describes it, “allowing millions of customers to access Arabic-language ebooks and audiobooks in one destination.”
Programming Notes
At Frankfurter Buchmesse (October 15 to 19), Publishing Perspectives will moderate a program featuring Lee Jarit, Audible’s global head of publisher and partner relations, and Sadaf Kazmi, Audible’s head of creator and international products.
Using AI To Unlock Your Catalogue’s Potential is set for:
2 to 2:25 p.m.
October 15 (Frankfurt Thursday)
Frankfurt Studio, Hall 4.0
“The audiobook category continues to experience unprecedented growth, creating new opportunities for publishers to expand their reach and unlock untapped potential within their audio catalogs. Join Audible’s Lee Jarit and Sadaf Kazmi for an in-depth conversation about the evolving audiobook landscape and how AI narration and translation can bring more books to life.”
Also the Sheikh Zayed Book Award in Abu Dhabi has programmed two key events at Frankfurt:
Classics Today: New Perspectives on Arabic Literature
5:30 to 6:20 p.m.
October 17 (Frankfurt Friday)
Frankfurt Studio, Hall 4.0
Stephan Weidner moderates a conversation with Beatrice Grundler, Hokan Ozkan, and Maurice Pomerantz
“Research into classical Arabic literature has made considerable progress in recent years. Drawing on contemporary literary theories, scholars have developed innovative perspectives that shed new light on 1,500 years of Arabic literary history that move beyond conventional interpretations. A diverse range of books based on this groundbreaking research has received the prestigious literary recognition of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award. Three of the distinguished scholars in this field will discuss their work during the panel.”
Literary Discussion with Hoda Barakat and Lena Bopp
5 p.m.
October 18 (Frankfurt Saturday)
Frankfurt Studio, Hall 4.0
“A literary discussion celebrating acclaimed author Hoda Barakat and her exceptional body of work, with a special focus on her Sheikh Zayed Book Award-winning novel in the Literature category. The session will delve into the themes, narratives, and cultural significance of her writing and will feature a live reading by Hoda Barakat, offering audiences an experience of her award-winning prose.”
More from Publishing Perspectives on the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre is here, more on the Abu Dhabi International Congress on Arabic Publishing and Creative Industries is here, more on publishing conference events in the world publishing industry is here, and more on publishing in the United Arab Emirates is here.
Publishing Perspectives is the world media partner of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
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