Mention the word “book” and the name of Sharjah flashes in everyone’s mind instantly. The reasons are obvious. The Emirate has been taking extraordinary measures to foster a culture of reading in the community.

As an avid reader, I was glad to read in your newspaper about the seventh edition of the used-books festival in Sharjah that offers readers one million reasons to buy books and quench their thirst for knowledge.

It is good to hear that the Fair, which started with around 100,000 books in 2007, has grown exceptionally since then and this year has collected over one million books from students, parents, organisations, academic institutions and individuals.

Books are an endless source of knowledge. Books shape an individual’s mind and wield tremendous power to transform lives for the better. It is the duty of every society to promote the book in order to build sustainable societies, which eventually help fortify the foundations of peace.

The bestowing of the World Book Capital for 2019 title on Sharjah earlier by Unesco is a well-deserved recognition of its outstanding role in supporting the publishing industry, and nurturing a culture of reading locally, regionally and internationally.

Landmark initiatives launched by the UAE, like funding public libraries, distribution of home libraries and honouring distinguished authors and publishers have contributed to the adoption of reading as a lifestyle by members of the society.

Rakesh Sharma
Via email