Nourhan Maher
The Sharjah-based Knowledge without Borders (KwB) initiative ‘1001 Titles’ has announced that following the success of the first phase to publish 1,001 Emirati first-edition titles, the second phase to achieve the same goal for the period 2018-2019 has now been launched and registration is open to all publishers who wish to participate. The initiative provides writers and publishers with the opportunity to benefit from grants and funds to further enrich the cultural landscape in the UAE and the Arab world and establish a knowledge platform for new generations.
The announcement came at the initiative’s annual gala dinner yesterday (Wednesday), at Sharjah Art Foundation (SAF) held in honour of the publishers and authors who participated in the first phase, and members of the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA). The ceremony was attended by Majd Al Shehhi, Manager of ‘1001 Titles’, and Noura BinHadiya, Manager of KwB.
Through organising the ceremony, the initiative thanked the publishers and authors in recognition of their efforts and contribution to achieving the initiative’s objectives over the past two years and stressed that the second phase, which seeks to publish another 1,001 Emirati first-edition titles in the next two years will be supporting 700 titles by EPA members and 301 titles by other publishers and authors, with AED 5 million budget.
“Since its inception two years ago, the ‘1001 Titles’ initiative has reinforced our efforts to contribute to the enormous cultural output by the UAE through supporting and encouraging creative authors and publishers who provide a variety of innovative publications. At the same time, we have strengthened our commitment to promote reading as a noble habit that acts as one of the true pillars of a civilised society,” said Majd Al Shehhi.
Al Shehhi pointed out that the achievements of the first phase contributed to a greater objective; to build a knowledge-based community which is able produce and export knowledge. She wished the forthcoming phase the same level of success.
Authors and publishing houses representatives praised the support of the initiative to the publishing sector, including the legal support it provides to all Emirati and UAE-based publishing houses, and its ongoing quest to protect copyrights and boost the nation’s publishing sector.
Themed ‘Nurturing Talent to Enrich Content’, ‘1001 Titles’ was launched by KwB in February 2016, under the patronage of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of EPA and Head of the KwB Organising Committee. The first phase of the initiative, which aimed to publish 1,001 Emirati books, enhancing the intellectual product in the UAE and ensuring the sustainability of the publishing industry in the country and beyond, was successfully completed in November 2017.