CaribPR Wire

By hosting the group, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) aims to highlight the cultural diversity of the 25 Caribbean Countries, strengthening their cultural and intellectual exchange with the Arab region. A special pavilion will be dedicated for the Guest of Honour in coordination with these countries’ embassies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, celebrating their cultural diversity in literature, arts, music, and cuisine.

Spotlighting Caribbean countries as Guest of Honour forms part of the UAE’s efforts to strengthen the publishing and translation industries, enabling new partnerships to provide Arab readers with access to Caribbean literature. It also highlights similarities between Arab and Caribbean cultures, and reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a global cultural capital that embraces linguistically and culturally rich regions, promoting literary diversity beyond the traditional framework, which often focuses on Europe and the US.

A lively programme of activities was planned to showcase the Caribbean region’s culture, knowledge, and civilisation , underscoring its close ties with the UAE. The programme aims to strengthen the ALC’s collaboration with Caribbean cultural institutions, enriching the public’s culture with fresh creative content, while reflecting the UAE’s thriving and diverse landscape.

His Excellency Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said: “The Caribbean nations are home to one of the world’s most diverse cultures, shaped through centuries of interaction and influences from various nations, setting the stage for a distinct and unique cultural identity that we are pleased to highlight at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair this year.”

“Caribbean culture is characterised by its innovativeness and adaptability, where it has forged and maintained a strong identity of its own despite external influences,” H.E. added. “The region has succeeded in creatively showcasing its heritage to the world, ensuring its continuity and visibility. Its literary contributions address core human issues, and with that in mind, we sought to host the countries of the Caribbean region in this year’s fair to explore opportunities for cooperation in creative industries, bring the Arabic language and other cultures closer together, and highlight our values of brotherhood and dialogue among peoples and cultures.”

The Guest of Honour programme also features literary, artistic, musical, and culinary performances, along with events and discussion panels featuring ambassadors, publishers, and authors from the Caribbean. While cooking demonstrations by professional chefs highlight Caribbean cuisine and its rich blend of African, Indian, and European flavours.

The ADIBF Guest of Honour programme is multifaceted, offering a variety of cultural, intellectual, and creative events catering to all segments of the community, and bringing together prominent Arab and international creatives to share their experience and knowledge with an audience of intellectual and literary enthusiasts.

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• The fair offers 2,000 activities with 1,400 exhibitors from 96 countries, spotlighting Caribbean culture as Guest of Honour, Ibn Sina as Focus Personality, and ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ as Book of the World.

ABU DHABI, UAE, April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The 34^th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF), organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, has launched its activities, offering a platform for cultures and innovations of the world to converge, interact, and explore new horizons of knowledge.

Continuing until 5 May 2025 under the theme ‘Knowledge Illuminates Our Community’, the fair brings 1,400 exhibitors from 96 countries, offering a comprehensive programme of 2,000 activities that cater to all community members, while spotlighting Caribbean culture as Guest of Honour, in recognition of its intellectual distinction and impact on global culture.

Moreover, ADIBF 2025 celebrates Ibn Sina as its Focus Personality, marking the 1,000-year anniversary of his book The Canon of Medicine, and highlighting his legacy as one of the scientists that contributed most to humanity’s advancement. It also features One Thousand and One Nights as Book of the World, underlining its timeless, cross-cultural, and enduring influence.

The fair welcomes 20 countries participating for the first time. It also introduces the ‘On the Path of Knowledge’ initiative, honours pioneers of Arab publishing, and welcomes prominent writers, thinkers, publishers, and content creators from the Arab region and the world to present various activities under five themes: Society, Fantasy, Sustainability, Arab Sciences, and Artificial Intelligence & Innovation. The exhibition also hosts the Poetry Majlis, which celebrates diverse poetic experiences with prominent poets, authors, and experts for 10 days.

Additionally, ADIBF 2025 hosts the third season of Podcast from Abu Dhabi, presenting high-quality content that discusses the evolving literary scene, while launching its inaugural ‘Digitising Creativity’ conference, which explores where AI and art intersect and how emerging technologies affect content creation.

Visitors can enjoy arts, entertainment, photography, and the World’s Cuisine experience, while children and youth can join workshops that blend learning and fun, with scientific and creative activities that develop their skills and strengthen their connection to their cultural heritage.

Meanwhile, the Under the Ghaf’s Shade experience offers readings from selected books, followed by book signings with guest authors, whereas the Business Lounge connects publishers and content creators to encourage collaboration in the industry.

Furthermore, the ADIBF Professional Programme offers a platform for supporting the publishing and creative industries, embracing the latest trends including AI and digital technologies. Meanwhile, the Digital Square offers activities and initiatives aimed at developing the publishing sector.

The ADIBF will launch initiatives to promote reading and creativity, and support the Arabic language, in line with the UAE and Abu Dhabi’s vision to nurture emerging literary talent, enrich the Arabic library, and build a community of avid readers, capable of producing Arabic content for the digital era.

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