VIDEO: Sheikh Sultan inaugurates Sharjah International Book Fair, unveils first phase of Arabic encyclopedia

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated on Wednesday, the 44th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025), in the presence of Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler; and Her Highness Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority.

The 12-day event is organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) under the theme ‘Between You and a Book’, and runs until Nov.16 in Expo Centre Sharjah.

The Ruler of Sharjah was received by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Saud Al Qasimi, Chairman of the  Sharjah Finance Department; Sheikh Khaled Bin Abdullah Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Seaports, Customs and Free Zones Authority; Dr Sheikh Salem Bin Abdulrahman Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Ruler's Office; Sheikh Majid Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of Districts Affairs Department; Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director of Sharjah General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments, alongside officials, intellectuals, authors and SIBF guests.

After welcoming the Guest of Honour delegation from Greece and other attendees to the 44th edition, Sheikh Sultan said: “I praise Almighty Allah and ask Him to forgive us all, to grant us strength and support to continue working towards what is beneficial and valuable for our great Arab and Islamic nation.”

“As we are speaking about the cultural projects in the Emirate of Sharjah – to which I have dedicated myself to serving, and devoted my life to culture, upholding its banner and elevating its status, and to promote the dissemination of knowledge, science, and literature among the sons and daughters of the nation, from East to West – we recount the beginning, a century ago, when the first library was established in Sharjah in 1925. And today after 100 years, the emirate is celebrating its centennial,” Sheikh Sultan added.

The Sharjah Ruler continued: “I would like to announce a major scientific and cultural achievement: the completion of the first phase of the Comprehensive Arabic Encyclopaedia. We have chosen to name it: The Comprehensive Arabic Encyclopaedia of Sciences, Literature, Arts and Eminent Figures. Through this encyclopaedia, we aim to define and document sciences, literature, and all academic branches related to the Arabic language, Islamic sciences, and the humanities."

"It presents biographies and accounts of all categories of scholars, philosophers, writers, poets, linguists, exegetes, caliphs, kings, and others. From the beginnings of Arab history, through the Islamic civilisation and its scholars, philosophers, and eminent figures, who enriched human knowledge with a wide array of works and books across disciplines, sciences and literature," Sheikh Sultan said.

Detailing the first phase, Sheikh Sultan s said: “Today, by the grace of Allah, we have completed the first phase of the encyclopaedia. Under the supervision of the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah, the team has finalised all linguistic and Islamic sciences, which comprise 44 volumes. Specialised scholars defined each science and its terms, including grammar, creed, rhetoric, prosody, linguistics, lexicography, phonetics, and more. This also includes Islamic sciences, like creed, Quranic studies, jurisprudence and its principles, the purpose of Islamic law, biographical evaluation and authentication in Hadith, Islamic economics, and other specialised fields.”

He shared details of the upcoming phases and completion timelines: “We are also pleased to inform you that, God willing, by this time next year, we will announce the completion of the second phase, covering the humanities, poets, linguists, exegetes, and experts of chains of narration, in November 2026. The academic work will continue through the completion of the third phase in November 2027, while the fourth phase will be complete in November 2028. By then, God willing, the largest scientific and cultural encyclopaedia defining sciences, arts, terms, and the biographies of eminent figures across disciplines will be complete. We undertake this work and uphold it to connect the present of our nation with its past, to introduce the current generation to the history and legacy of their ancestors - scholars, writers, poets, and people of culture - and to provide researchers and intellectuals with a well-documented encyclopaedia they can refer to, learn from, and draw upon.”

The Sharjah Ruler felicitated renowned Egyptian writer, poet, and playwright Mohamed Salmawy, as the 'Cultural Personality of the Year' for the 44th edition, in recognition of his contributions and body of work.

The Sharjah Ruler also honoured the winner of the 8th edition of the Sharjah Translation Award (Turjuman), which went to Dr. Ondřej Beránek for the Czech work Ibn Fadlan's Journey from Baghdad to the Volga Bulgars: 921-922, published by Academia Publishing House. Organised by SBA, the award is the largest of its kind globally, with a value of AED 1.4 million awarded for the best translation of an original Arabic book into a foreign language.

Following that, Sheikh Sultan also signed copies of his latest work, The Compendium of the Histories of the Arabian Peninsula and Persia 1622 CE – 1810 CE. The work provides detailed documentation of this significant historical period in the region, arranged chronologically. It is published in 33 volumes in Arabic and in English, comprising 1,473 documents. It is also available on a USB drive.

Sheikh Sultan based the publication on documents acquired from various archival centres, including English, Dutch, French and Ottoman sources. He also referenced Portuguese documents that were previously included in his work, The Portuguese in the Sea of Oman 1497 CE-1757 CE.

The Ruler of Sharjah arranged and categorised the documents over nearly 40 years of work.

He also translated them from their original languages into Arabic. The documents cover events in the Arabian Peninsula and Persia from diverse sources. Each volume includes a reference index at the end to help locate specific information, along with annotations for the documents.

For his part, Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, announced during his welcome address that SIBF 2025 is the world’s leading book fair in buying and selling copyrights for the fifth consecutive year. He noted that such milestones are the result of the vision of Sheikh Sultan, who ensured that no edition of the fair would ever be skipped.

The CEO stated that His Highness penned the first words in Sharjah's story with books, with the ink flowing as thought and humanity.

He added that, under the leadership of Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority, Sharjah continued to develop this global cultural project, becoming a destination for creatives and a home for authors and publishers from around the world.

He noted that the 44th edition welcomes over 2,500 publishers and exhibitors from 118 countries, marking a unique international gathering. It features the largest presence of African publishers outside Africa, the widest participation from India and East Asia, the most extensive European presence outside Europe, and a consistently strong turnout from Arab publishers, the ambassadors of the Arabic language to the world.

Al Ameri added that Sharjah has made a commitment to always honour books and ensure that culture remains a bridge of goodwill between peoples. He highlighted the global scale of the Publishers Conference, noting that it concluded the previous day after bringing together 1,599 publishers from 116 countries, who held 3,321 meetings over 14 working hours across two days.

In his keynote, Mohamed Salmawy said: “Sharjah has honoured me before, and in doing so has honoured all Arab intellectuals. It did so when it inaugurated this book fair more than four decades ago, celebrating thought and knowledge. It honoured us again when it built museums, held exhibitions, and organised conferences and seminars to celebrate our heritage and contemporary arts. And it continues to do so today by embracing culture and becoming, deservedly, one of the leading cultural centres in the Arab world.”

He added: “Our gathering at SIBF is a call to remain committed to culture and thought through books and the written word. It reflects a belief in a shared Arab identity — from Egypt to the UAE, from Yemen to Morocco, from Syria to Somalia — rooted in people capable of rebuilding their nations through self-awareness, historical understanding, and cultural pride. This is a call to recognise the Arab intellectual as an active force in society, not a mere observer. He is responsible for lighting the way amid the darkness some seek to impose.”

For his part, Jason Fotilas, Deputy Minister of Culture of Greece, spoke as Guest of Honour at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair.

He expressed his gratitude to the Sharjah Ruler and said: “Ties between Greece and the Arab world span centuries. Our civilisations have met through philosophy, poetry, science and the arts, exchanging ideas that shaped both regions. These connections have never stopped. They live on in our shared respect for heritage and in a common vision for the future. The friendship between our peoples is built on mutual respect and understanding, reflected in strong and growing cooperation between our governments and leaders.”

Commenting on the Guest of Honour title, he said: “Greece accepts this honour with full awareness of its importance. We are committed to presenting a cultural programme that matches the scale of this event and reflects the depth of Greek creativity. We bring the voice of Greek literature and thought, ancient and modern, ready for open dialogue and global exchange. Culture is the shortest distance between hearts. It knows no borders, and does not differentiate based on language or belief systems.”

Following the opening ceremony, Sheikh Sultan toured the event, accompanied by Sheikha Bodour, who briefed the Sharjah Ruler on the participating exhibitors, entities and publishing houses, and the activities and programme of SIBF for the duration of the event.

Sheikh Sultan visited the Guest of Honour pavilion, where he was introduced to the diverse programmes and activities designed to familiarise visitors with Greek culture.

The Ruler of Sharjah, toured the stands of several cultural institutions, participating organisations, and publishing houses.

He stopped at the Ministry of Culture pavilion, as well as the Your Sharjah, which presents the role of identity in promoting the emirate’s image across various platforms.

Sheikh Sultan also visited the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, which is providing full coverage of the fair’s events through its TV channels, radio stations, and digital platforms. Additionally, His Highness stopped at the Sharjah Media City (Shams) pavilion, which offers a range of services for entrepreneurs and creatives.

His Highness also visited the Emirates Publishers Association pavilion to learn about the association's efforts in supporting and encouraging Emirati publishers, as well as the services it provides to help them reach international markets. The Sharjah Ruler was also briefed at the Sharjah Publishing Sustainability Fund “Onshur” pavilion, on its objectives to strengthen and sustain the publishing industry in the UAE.

​​The tour continued with the Ruler of Sharjah stopping at the House of Wisdom pavilion, and exploring rare documents, manuscripts, and key publications on display.

Sheikh Sultan also reviewed materials and publications presented by the Sharjah Police Headquarters pavilion, the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center, the Islamic Forum, United Arab Emirates University, and Al Qasimia University pavilions.

Sheikh Sultan also stopped at The Big Heart Foundation pavilion, where he was briefed on the humanitarian projects and their impact.

He viewed services showcased by the Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association, as well as the exhibits from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman pavilions.

The tour also included the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters of Kuwait, the National Library and Archives, the Sharjah Antiquities Authority, the General Egyptian Book Organisation, the Ibn al-Arabi Foundation, the Emirates Writers Union, and the Sharjah Institute for Heritage.

Sheikh Sultan also stopped at Al Qasimi Publications stand, which features His Highness’ authored works, where he signed a copy of his latest work, The Compendium of the Histories of the Arabian Peninsula and Persia 1622 CE – 1810 CE.

He also reviewed the exhibits and major linguistic research projects presented by the Sharjah Arabic Language Academy.