International Board on Books for Young People officially launches UAE chapter

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The United Arab Emirates received a unanimous vote of approval from the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), in response to a membership application submitted by Sheikha Budoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Emirates Publishers Association and the Founder and Director of Kalimat. The UAE’s acceptance into the group paved the way for the launch of UAE National Chapter of the IBBY, which was officially announced in October 2009.  
 
The UAE Chapter of IBBY aims to promote understanding and to facilitate the exchange of information through children’s books, to encourage and develop a wide array of literary and artistic works for children. It also organizes competitions, seminars and workshops for those involved in the field of children’s literature, encourages the publication and distribution of quality children’s books, especially in developing areas. Furthermore, the IBBY encourages the nationwide establishment of public libraries and strives to stimulate the translation of high quality children’s books both from and into Arabic and helps to raise the standard of children’s literature in the UAE to the highest international levels.
 
Speaking on the launch of the UAE Chapter, Sheikha Budoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the UAE National Chapter of the International Board on Books for Young People, Chairperson of the Emirates Publishers Association and the Founder and Director of Kalimat Children’s Book Publisher, said, “The establishment of a UAE National Chapter of the IBBY is a tribute to the efforts exerted by all parties concerned in the publishing of children’s literature throughout the country, and serves as recognition of the importance of this production on both the regional and international levels.”
 
“The UAE National Chapter of the IBBY will offer a number of activities and services to help raise the standards of the children’s literature publishing industry, to develop an early love of reading in our children and to encourage parents and other adults to read to children. We will participate in the organization and judging of various literary competitions and support initiatives that aim to provide high quality educational and entertaining Arabic books, as well as providing support and training for persons and organizations involved with children and children’s books. Our focus being to promote reading as a treat for children, we will develop an annual shortlist of books to be distributed to schools and libraries free of charge and coordinate with the relevant ministries and governments to develop public and school libraries.
 
The national chapter of the IBBY holds the right to vote for the election of the IBBY president and executive council members, to nominate the members of the Hans Christian Andersen Awards panel and to shortlist the projects eligible to receive support from the IBBY Fund. The board of the national IBBY chapter will comprise a number of recognized writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, translators, journalists, critics, teachers, professors, students, librarians, booksellers, social workers and parents representing all seven emirates, so as to ensure coordinated activities along each emirate’s respective programmes.
 
The IBBY was founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 1953. Today, it is composed of seventy national chapters worldwide. It represents countries with well-developed book publishing and literacy programmes as well as others with only a few dedicated professionals whose pioneering efforts are aimed at extensive promotion of children’s literature. As a non-governmental organization officially recognized by UNESCO and UNICEF, the IBBY holds a policy-making role as an advocate for children's books. The IBBY is committed to the principles of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, as ratified by the United Nations in 1990. One of its main proclamations is the right of the child to a general education and to direct access to information. Thanks to the IBBY’s insistence, the resolution includes an appeal to all nations to promote the production and distribution of children's books.

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