Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services
7th Sharjah Used Book Fair by Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services opens
Photo courtesy SCHS
The 7th edition of the Used Book Fair organised under the theme of “Get a book – Light a path” by the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) opened on Wednesday, 26th February 2020.
Celebrating the Emirate of Sharjah as World Book Capital City, this four-day book fair offering over a million used books will be held from Feb 26-29 held at the Palm Gardens, Khalid Lake, Sharjah.
In her message, Sheikha Jamila bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director-General of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, emphasised the importance of organising the book fair coinciding to the vision of the His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
Consistent with the cultural, and knowledge approach which, coinciding with the vision of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) has been organising the fair every 2 years since 2006, reinforcing the value of a book and its importance, and also to promote the culture of reading through the community in all age categories.
In addition, it promotes the book’s value and its importance through encouraging reading and promotion and development of volunteering amongst youth.
This year the organisers have targeted a million books for display and sale.
Mr. Jehad Abed Alkader, the festival’s General Coordinator has ensured the rule of volunteering, in all stages of the book fair. Starting from preparatory works, volunteers a valuable number of people with different abilities. participate and engage in the festival’s organization and realized the importance of promoting awareness and education in community, through organizing this festival.
They all work under the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Jameela Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, to make the Used Book Festival through perfect organisation, innovative ideas, and the increase in the number of displayed books and revenues that serves the public interest of people with special abilities and the society as well. Special attention has been taken to maintain the pricing of books in the fair between one dirham and twenty dirhams, providing an opportunity for all, to get books at nominal prices.
The first version of the festival has been launched, in April 2006. the number of books displayed in that year was 80 thousand books. Then, the number of books increased in 2007 to become (100 thousand). The number became (150 thousand) in 2009. In the fourth edition, which was in 2011, the number of books was (500,000 thousand). The number of books increased more and more in the years 2013 and 2016 to reach in 2020 more than one million books as indicated by supervisors who have been working in sorting and pricing books since months.
The Festival, will offer a wide range of cultural events, recreational programs, and various cultural activities. It considered as the first, and the largest festival of its kind in the United Arab Emirates, in aspects of its idea, and organizing.
The festival deserves every required support especially; it has a rosy picture of “The Smiling Emirate,” which works hard to ensure a decent life for all.
Undoubtedly, main goals of the festival are not financial profit; however, the proceeds of this event will be used in supporting services provided by the SCHS to people with disabilities. the process provide an opportunity to forming alternators committees, collecting books and classifying them, and it offers to its pioneers from different age and population groups to get books and provide equipping with the knowledge and culture.
Volunteers included students from Sharjah Technical College and University of Sharjah and students from Arab and foreign schools and participants from the Emirates Volunteers platform and Emirates NBD.
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