Kalimat continues to empower children intellectually: Bodour

Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Chairperson of Kalimat Foundation, chaired the Foundation’s Board of Trustees meeting, where members reviewed the organisation’s 2025 achievements and discussed its strategic vision for 2026. The meeting reaffirmed the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to empowering children with knowledge and safeguarding their right to access books and reading worldwide.

In 2025, Kalimat Foundation expanded the scope of its flagship “Pledge a Library” initiative to reach children in some of the world’s most underserved communities. 

The Foundation donated 4,600 Arabic-language books across 46 portable libraries operating in 42 locations in eight countries — Brazil, Comoros, Morocco, Greece, the United Kingdom, Uganda, and Portugal — reflecting a deepening commitment to equitable access to knowledge. 

A sustainable model of empowerment 

During the meeting, Sheikh Bodour emphasised that accessible publishing remains a cornerstone of the Foundation’s mission. 

She described it as a sustainable model of empowerment rather than a temporary intervention, stating that investment in knowledge is one of the most profound and lasting forms of support in the lives of children and their communities. 

Bodour added: “Accessible publishing reimagines the child’s relationship with reading, education and life. It opens doors to self-discovery and understanding of the world, while nurturing autonomy and the ability to make informed choices.” 

She stressed that Kalimat Foundation continues to evolve its programmes and tools to empower children intellectually, noting that access to knowledge enables them to protect their rights, contribute to community development, and respond thoughtfully to the challenges of their time. 

The Board reviewed major achievements in 2025, including a collaboration with Canon to launch an innovative experience enabling people with visual impairments to “feel images,” along with the roll-out of the first phase of inclusive accessible books; marking a milestone in the advancement of knowledge equity. 

Other achievements included participation in regional workshops in Tunisia organised by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), and joint initiatives with Noor Dubai Foundation in educational and humanitarian programming. 

Under “Pledge a Library,” the Foundation deepened its humanitarian presence by supporting Arab children in hospitals and treatment centres, Palestinian children through Emirates Humanitarian City, and underprivileged students in charity schools across the UAE. 

The Foundation also restored a library in Ifrane, Morocco, and launched a product line with French-Tunisian artist El Seed, reinforcing the initiative’s sustainability and building meaningful links with the creative economy. 

Inclusive literacy through the “Ara” (I See) initiative 

In 2025, the Foundation organised reading workshops and specialised training courses for blind and visually impaired children under the “Ara” initiative, aimed at advancing their reading and writing skills. The initiative provides a wide range of publications in formats including braille, large print, audiobooks, and accessible EPUB3 books, ensuring equitable access to knowledge and cultural content. 

Strategic vision for 2026: scale, inclusion, and innovation 

The Board discussed Kalimat Foundation’s vision for 2026, centred on expanding accessible publishing, developing more inclusive content, and strengthening local, regional, and international partnerships to reach children in diverse environments. 

The strategy further prioritises empowering families and fostering a culture of reading through community programmes, advancing innovation and sustainability in cultural philanthropy, expanding specialised research initiatives, and reinforcing the Foundation’s international standing. Together, these priorities reinforce Kalimat Foundation’s role in shaping a more equitable, inclusive, and future-ready reading ecosystem.