Sharjah ruler officially accepts UNESCO World Book Capital 2019 title

  SHARJAH - Sharjah has been officially recognized as the UNESCO World Book Capital of 2019. His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, received the recognition in a ceremony at Al Majaz Amphitheatre on Tuesday. "Today, I cannot fully express my happiness to be present here, as we offer a grand welcome to Sharjah World Book Capital 2019 celebrations. I stand before you and I am almost certain that I am visualising our great forefathers – scientists and thinkers, filling libraries of the world with knowledge shinning a light on the path of humanity, and leaving us a human legacy that we are proud of, and hold dearly,” Sheikh Sultan said. The celebrations coincided with World Book Day and Copyright Day marked globally on April 23, and is a befitting recognition of Sharjah’s yearlong journey to promote books and culture. "It is a great honour to follow in their footsteps. To embrace books and knowledge as a tool to build, not destroy a tool to nurture love, brotherhood and tolerance, " Sheikh Sultan said. Sheikh Sultan Sharjah highlighted that the emirate’s everlasting relationship with the book has attained a new meaning as it becomes the bearer of this new title, saying, "This title will encourage us to continue supporting initiatives aimed at spreading knowledge and building civilisations, thus making Sharjah cradle of the Arab and Islamic cultural and intellectual renaissance . "There is so much more to accomplish. The production of knowledge never stops, and the development of life continues. Rest assured that Sharjah is prepared to continuing on this journey, and God willing, our devoted sons and daughters will continue our march to make Sharjah a true beacon of science and knowledge – a destination for everyone thirsty for culture, for thought and the sciences," he added. The Ruler of Sharjah received the World Book Capital 2019 title from Ernesto Ottone R., Assistant Director-General of UNESCO; Markos Bolaris, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Greece; and Fiona Andrikopoulou, Communication and Public Relation Advisor - Athens WBC 2018, marking the beginning of the official year-long celebrations that will see the emirate organise an elaborate itinerary of book-themed events. The Sharjah World Book capital celebrations run for one year from April 23, 2019 to April 22, 2020, encompassing a series of cultural events, projects and initiatives. Winning the World Book Capital title adds to Sharjah’s outstanding record of cultural and humanistic achievements. Sharjah was named the Cultural Capital of the Arab World 1998, the Capital of Islamic Culture 2014 and the Capital of Arab Tourism 2015. GAD/Expat 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