A SPECIAL DAY FOR THE IRAQI COMMUNITY IN THE SEVENTH USED BOOK FESTIVAL
Her Excellency Zeina Hamid, Acting Consul of the Republic of Iraq in the United Arab Emirates, directed her sincerest thanks to Her Highness Sheikha Jameela bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director General of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) and the Head of the Supreme Organizing Committees of the Seventh Used Book Festival, and to all volunteers. She said, “We are proud to participate in this cultural event organized by SCHS and to learn that revenues are allocated to support the programs and activities offered to persons with disabilities. We praise the initiative of Dr. Abdul Karim Al-Rawi, the Representative of the Iraqi Community in the Emirates”.
On Friday, February 28, 2020, the Iraqi community participated in the activities of the seventh used book festival, which SCHS is organizing under the theme (Get a Book, Light a Path) at Palms Park on the shores of Khalid Lake, as part of the activities marking Sharjah as World Book Capital.
Her Highness Sheikha Jameela bint Mohammed Al Qasimi and Mrs. Mona Abdel Karim Al Yafi, Director of SCHS, accompanied Her Excellency Zeina Hamid and the Iraqi Consulate delegation on a tour on festival’s sections, which include a million titles. Then everyone watched many magnificent artistic, literary and heritage acts that were present at the celebration of the Iraqi community.
The Head of Festival Organizing Committees stated that work is underway to (institutionalize) the Used Book Festival even if in a small form, to be open throughout the year by allocating a permanent place for displaying books. The beginning will be with the first (Saturday) of each month, starting next April, to display the used books in a place that will be determined later on.
She said, “Community members have the right to contribute to increasing festival revenues to (half a million dirhams) after reaching 288 thousand and 530 dirhams in the first three days. SCHS will allocate this money to support the programs and services, which SCHS offers to society in general and to persons with disabilities and their families in particular”.
Her Highness Sheikha Jameela directed her sincerest thanks to the volunteers in the Seventh Used Book Festival (Get a Book, Light a Path) including persons with disabilities who have participated in every step of the way exactly like their non-disabled peers because they believe in the importance of knowledge, and the spread of culture among all members of society.
Dr. Abdul Karim Al-Rawi, the Representative of the Iraqi Community in the country, was very proud and happy to participate in the festival. He confirmed that the festival is a cultural and social activity that urges community members to obtain and read books. He praised the perfect organization and the diversity of books, wishing success to all workers in Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services.
For his part, Engineer Fathi Jabr Afaneh, CEO of Fast Building Contracting Company, was very proud to support the festival as one of SCHS’s main partners in organizing and sponsoring the event from the beginning. The company provided the tables to display books. The company is ready to contribute to any event or activity that SCHS may organize in the future.
The third day of the festival included artistic, literary and informative activities, in addition to a group of cultural and artistic workshops. The members of the Sharjah Mime Band, who are with hearing impairment affiliated with SCHS Art for All (Falaj) Center, starred during their pantomime performances, which received a remarkable audience response.
Notably, the activities of the Seventh Used Book Festival would continue until midnight on Saturday, February 29, 2020, knowing that the Festival’s Higher Organizing Committee responded to people demands and extended the working hours in the past two days to midnight.
The festival activities would continue on Saturday, February 29, 2020, and the Festival’s Higher Organizing Committee will extend working hours to midnight.