5 great ways to celebrate the Month of Reading in UAE
We may be a couple of days into March, but it’s not too late to start…
Every year the month of March is dedicated to reading. It was first celebrated in March 2016 and after its success, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai declared that every March would be an annual month of reading.
The month is marked by a rich and diverse calendar of engaging activities and sustainable initiatives that motivate the community to read.
Here are 5 great ways to celebrate the Month of Reading
Read as many books as you can with Emirates Literature Foundation
The Emirates Literature Foundation has announced a reading challenge and it is open to everyone in the UAE. There are two categories, individual and family, and the books you choose can be in either Arabic or English.
So, how does it work? It’s simple! All you have to do is read as many books as you can in a month and share a one-line review for each. That’s it! Winners aka the one who reads the most amount of books will receive a special selection of books signed by previous Emirates Airline Festival of Literature authors.
Sign up and learn more about the reading challenge here.
Get encouraged to read and write with Dubai Culture
The pandemic hasn’t stopped Dubai Culture’s 2021 edition of The Reading Box and it is now transformed into a digital format. The Reading Box will provide a variety of interesting and fun educational workshops remotely through Microsoft Teams that will encourage the younger generation to read and write with workshops available in both Arabic and English.
The initiative’s full programme and updates on the reading month can be viewed on Dubai Public Libraries’ Instagram account.
Take part in a workshop or two with Maktaba
Maktaba at the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi has organised over 150 workshops throughout the month of March for readers of different ages. From digital workshops to virtual tours, author meet-ups, creative classes and much more – you’re bound to find a workshop that will interest you.
A whole list of workshops can be found here and you will need Microsoft Teams to attend.
Read at a stunning palace in Abu Dhabi
The stunning Qasr Al Watan, which is Arabic for ‘Palace of the Nation’, is a stunning palace located in Abu Dhabi and is home to Qasr Al Watan Library. Inside, there is an impressive collection of 50,000 texts, and 16 million digital documents collected over 35 years, covering subjects such as history, geography and the social, economic and political development of the UAE.
The library is ideal for research, reading, and writing, and fosters a space where imagination and creativity come to life. And you can’t help but be inspired the second you step inside this luxurious palace. There are even special tours available which where visitors can learn about the library and its contents, and how to make the most of its programmes and resources.
The library is open to all UAE nationals, residents and visitors. Head here to obtain a membership card.
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Sign up for free membership at Sharjah Public Library
An affiliate of the Sharjah Book Authority, Sharjah Public Library is offering free basic membership for one year for those who register in March either online or in person.
Additionally, the library has come up with a concept where each of its employees offers a book he or she as previously read to a colleague. What a great idea and an easy one to implement in your office among your colleagues or even your friends.
Images: Supplied