His Excellency congratulated His Highness on the occasion of selecting Sharjah as the World Book Capital 2019.
Hussain Al Hammadi: Sultan al-Qasimi's efforts have yielded cultural achievements and effective enlightenment movement.
His Excellence Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, the Minister of Education, asserted that the selection of Sharjah as World Book Capital 2019 by UNESCO is new and unique recognition which is added to Sharjah's heritage which is full of cultural achievements that support the enlightenment movement.
On this occasion, His Highness extended his highest congratulations to His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, on this achievement and the great title which would not have been achieved without the continuous support, care and attention of His Highness in providing the UAE in general and Sharjah in particular with the reasons for its leadership on the cognitive level and the use of all potentials to make Sharjah a civilized and cultural lighthouse.
He added that His Highness's keenness on building promising and educated generations having the passion for science and learning, and raising them properly based on various sciences and knowledge to consolidate their relationship with the age of knowledge and make them global and modern in their thinking led His Highness to pave the way for Sharjah to achieve consecutive cultural and civilization gains including the recent precious title according to which Sharjah is the World Book Capital 2019.
His Excellency considered that achieving this title by Sharjah is in the interest of education advancement, devotes the best ways to spread reading, activates its sources and launch supportive initiatives for this purpose, which accordingly contribute to accelerating the achievement of the educational goals of the State to have generations that are interested in reading and books and searching in different sources of knowledge to make good use of it.
He stated that the Ministry of Education (MOE) is committed to supporting national efforts to establish a solid foundation for a generation that holds on to science as a weapon for the future and makes sources of knowledge and reading a daily habit, emphasizing that the MOE will continue its strenuous efforts to instil the values which encourage reading as part of its plan for development of education and launch initiatives that promote the value of books and reading.
He said: "We extend our congratulation to the UAE on this pioneering cultural achievement which has important significance represented in the existence of this effective cultural movement on the land of the UAE as well as Sharjah's extraordinary efforts in the field of community work,". He also considered that the great support and attention paid by His Highness, the Ruler of Sharjah, to science, knowledge, literary and theatrical production, and reading have formed a basis for this excellence and remarkable success.
He stated that Sharjah has multiple features that promote educational, cultural and enlightenment movement including what is related to its innovative nature and comprehensiveness, indicating the pivotal role of Sharjah in promoting the culture of reading in the UAE and encouraging the launching of new initiatives to overcome the challenges facing literary production in the region and in the Arab world.
His Excellency noted that Sharjah has contributed, over decades, to promoting efforts to encourage reading and owning books as literary treasure that enriches the cultural, scientific and knowledge outcome with the members of the community.
He praised the efforts of the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science in establishing the frameworks which support the UAE's endeavors in the field of culture particularly Sharjah, which contributed to reaching this entitlement. He also praised the fruitful and constructive cooperation with UNESCO that led to achieving a clear, profound and unified vision to identify the global goals established in this context.
Amal Al-Koos: Every Emirati and resident in UAE is proud of this remarkable achievement
On her part, Amal Al-Koos, the Director of the UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, expressed her pride and appreciation of this remarkable achievement by Sharjah, presenting it to the wise leadership and the people of the UAE.
Her Excellency said that "I would like to extend my congratulations to His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, on having this title by Sharjah, which was achieved as a result of the continuous efforts by His Highness to strengthen the leadership and position of the UAE in general and Sharjah in particular on the world science and culture map".
She stated that UAE National Commission for Education, Culture and Science sets the considerations that pay great attention to a diversified cultural education system, which is stemming from the core of its work and approach. This led us to have continuous coordination and permanent cooperation with UNESCO along with increasing UNESCO's awareness of the great efforts and continuous work which are the attribute of Sharjah in terms of encouraging reading and knowledge and providing supporting platforms for this purpose.
She said that giving Sharjah this honourable title was based on its being worthy and entitled because it was selected by a committee consisting of representatives for the International Publishers Association (IPA), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and UNESCO, according to the great achievements in the field of culture, education, science, reading and the harmonious and constructive meaningful community work of Sharjah.
She noted that the city which is chosen every year is committed to be the World Book Capital by promoting books and reading in addition to carrying out a program of activities for a full year in the same way, stating that Sharjah is the 19th city to be named the World Book Capital after Athens in 2018 and Conakry in 2017.
She concluded her speech by emphasizing the need for intensifying efforts to highlight Sharjah's effective role in supporting and encouraging reading, stating that we will continue to support various activities, launch initiatives and promote coordination at the level of the State as well as playing a greater role by the MOE of Education which provides continuous support through its programs, initiatives and development plans of education to have a generation that adopt reading as a daily habit and behaviour, achieving the features of UAE students in UAE schools in order to transform to knowledge economy society.
29/06/2017