Fuad Mansoor Sharaf holds the esteemed position of Managing Director for UAE Shopping Malls at Majid Al Futtaim Properties, where he orchestrates & oversees the long-term strategies for all Shopping Malls in the UAE. His responsibilities encompass key areas such as leasing, marketing, and property management.
Fuad’s career in shopping and property management began in 2004 as Operations Manager at City Centre Deira. He has since held multiple positions that have contributed to enhancing shopping malls across the region. He has managed nine shopping malls in GCC countries and has successfully enhanced many strategic partnerships. Fuad currently manages 18 leading shopping destinations in the United Arab Emirates, with operational areas exceeding one million square meters of total leasable areas. These destinations include prestigious and leading shopping centers such as Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Deira, and City Centre Mirdif, with total sales exceeding AED 22 billion annually.
At the beginning of his professional career, Fuad Mansoor Sharaf held the position of Head of the Quality and Productivity Center at the Dubai Department of Economic Development, where he supervised and led many programs during this period, such as the Dubai Human Development Award, the Dubai Service Excellence Program, and the Dubai Quality Award.
Fuad Mansoor Sharaf holds a Master’s degree in Quality Management from the University of Wollongong in Dubai and a Higher Diploma in International Business, specializing in Banking and Financial Sciences from the Higher Colleges of Technology.
Fuad Mansoor Sharaf’s commitment to the leadership role he has taken on to elevate Majid Al Futtaim’s group of shopping malls and to highlight the United Arab Emirates as an advanced center for the growth of diverse businesses. His valuable contributions confirm his position as a proud model for the citizens of the United Arab Emirates.
Ahlam Bolooki graduated from Al Mawakeb School in Garhoud in 2006, after which she got her Bsc. in International Hospitality Management from the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management.
Ahlam is the CEO of the Emirates Literature Foundation, established to nurture a love of literature in the UAE and across the region through a year-round programme of events promoting diversity and cultural expression supporting the four pillars of the writing community; readers, writers, publishers and librarians. With an aim of inspiring all to read for pleasure, it is the home of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, of which Ahlam is the director. The Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, it provides a platform for open dialogue and forward thinking, promoting a more empathetic society. Ahlam is also the General Manager of ELF Publishing, the publishing house under the Emirates Literature Foundation umbrella with a mission to publish strong regional narrative that deserve to be read. Ahlam is also the leader of the UAE Wikimedia User Group and founder of the Kateb Maktub movement which cultivates free information culture and enriches Arab authors data online.
The Emirates Literature Foundation was established in 2013 as a non-government, not-for-profit organisation.
Mr. Mohamed Abdalla is the Chief Executive Officer of Sharjah Islamic Bank. He is an influential figure in the finance industry remarkably recognized individually and also on behalf of the organization by prominent awards including Forbes Award for Most Powerful CEO in Financial Markets – UAE, Best Emirati CEO Award, Sheikh Khalifa Excellence Award, Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Business Award in the Financial Services category, Sharjah Economic Excellence Award, Human Resources in Banking Sector Award, Highest Emiratization in private sector institutions in the Gulf Cooperation Council, “Wachovia” Award, Dubai Award for Human Resources Development, Dubai Quality Award, Best Sukuk Structuring House in UAE held in London Sukuk Summit, Union of Arab Banks Award, UAE Emiratization Award (Large enterprise Class) etc., among others.He currently holds vital positions in various prominent institutions namely-
Member of the Board of Trustees – University of Sharjah.
Chairman of Finance Committee – University of Sharjah.
Board Member of ASAS Company.
Board Member of Sharjah National Hotels.
Board Member of Sharjah Equestrian Club.
Board Member of Emirates Institute of Finance
HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority, has played a significant role in establishing a global presence for SBA through its initiatives and programmes designed to boost the Arab book industry while also helping preserve Arab culture and language.Since its inception in 2014, HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri has been at the helm of SBA – the entity that organises the annual Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) and Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF). SBA’s flagship initiative, the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone (SPC Free Zone) is the world’s first-of-its-kind free zone dedicated to offer a complete ecosystem for businesses in the publishing and printing industries. The Sharjah Library and several other cultural initiatives also operate under the SBA.
Under Al Ameri’s leadership, SIBF continues to grow in stature every year and was recognised as the world’s largest book fair in its milestone 40th edition in 2021 after attracting the participation of 546 publishers and literary agents from 83 countries looking to network, matchmake and do business with each other.
Having gained valuable experience as the Head of Finance and Administrative Affairs at the Department of Culture and Information in Sharjah, a post he held for over 10 years, Al Ameri’s ambitions for the SBA and its high-profile events continue to grow. Al Ameri works tirelessly to promote all events organised by SBA especially the Sharjah International Book Fair on the international stage. Under his leadership, SBA continues to participate in regional and international book events and festivals to establish deeper connections between Emirati and foreign cultures. Al Ameri studied at the prestigious Strayer College in Washington DC, United States, and holds an AA (Hons) Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He followed this with an Executive Master’s in Business Administration (Perception in Service Quality) from the University of Sharjah, UAE, in 2003.
H.E. Dr. Muhadditha Yahya Al Hashimi currently holds the position of Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), a government body established with the aim of regulating private education in the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. H.E. also serves as the President of the Sharjah Education Academy (SEA) and Chair of its Board of Trustees. SEA is a non-profit graduate school of education and professional learning institution for postgraduate studies in education.
Prior to her appointment, Dr. AlHashimi held several senior positions in higher education and healthcare institutions. These included serving as the Sharjah Campus Director of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) Women & Men campuses, the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences of HCT, and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs at the HCT.
Dr. AlHashimi also held the position of the Chief Executive Officer of the Mohammed Bin Rashid AlMaktoum Academic Medical Center in Dubai, the Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Healthcare City, the Director of Education at the Harvard Medical School Dubai Center.
Dr. AlHashimi is a member of the Board of Trustees for several educational and health institutions: Member in the steering committee of the Children’s Center “Kanaf”. Member of the Board of Trustees of Kalimat Foundation. Member of the Education and Human Resources Council (EHRC). Member of the Board of Directors of MediClinic International PLC. H.E. also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of several universities including the University of Sharjah, University of Khorfakkan, and University of Al Dhaid, and HE is a
Dr. Al Hashimi earned her Ph.D. in Public Health from the University of Texas. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Laboratory Sciences; and a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Technology, both from the University of Minnesota in the United States.
Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi is a Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She previously served as Minister of Culture and Youth, as well as Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs.
In addition to her ministerial responsibilities, Her Excellency formerly served as the President of Zayed University, Commissioner-General of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, and chaired the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, and the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, in addition to other positions including CEO and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Abu Dhabi Media, in addition to chairing the Media Zone Authority in Abu Dhabi (twofour54), where she played a vital role in the founding process aiming to enable the creative community in the UAE.
Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi has contributed to the launch of several initiatives and projects for the development of the cultural and creative sectors in the UAE and enhancing relations with various countries. The most prominent of these initiatives include the launch of the National Creative Relief Program for creatives affected by the Covid-19, and the National Strategy for Cultural and Creative Industries, to grow the sector to be among the 10 most important economic sectors in the country.
In addition to these, Her Excellency led the efforts for the UAE to become a member of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). She was also instrumental in the UAE’s cooperation with UNESCO for the restoration of heritage and cultural sites in the Iraqi city of Mosul as part of the “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” initiative.
Her Excellency has contributed to enhancing the educational environment and promoted innovative courses at Zayed University, through new programmes in the College of Interdisciplinary Studies, which ensures that students are equipped with all the skills and knowledge required to enter a dynamic labour market, and provide them with the necessary expertise to compete in the sector.
He Excellency is a Chevalier of the French Order of Merit in recognition of her efforts in developing relations between the UAE and France encouraging cultural and creative exchange.
She is also a recipient of the Diplomatic Service Medal – Gwanghwa Medal from the then President of the Republic of South Korea, Moon Jae-in, in recognition of her efforts in supporting UAE-Korea relations.
Her Excellency enjoys reading, yoga and spinning.
Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan is an entrepreneur, founder, and sustainability and climate change expert. In 2023 she was selected as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
She is driven by the belief that creating change requires diverse stakeholders working together to find and implement interconnected macro- and micro-solutions that unlock progress. As a result, Sheikha Shamma has founded and leads a number of high-impact entities.
These include the UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), which works to propel the growth of a thriving green economy by advancing green financing frameworks and advocating for effective policy and regulation, in order to accelerate the development and implementation of climate technology solutions. UICCA’s initiatives include a launchpad programme for climate SMEs, a policy think tank, and community engagement platforms intended to empower the most climate-vulnerable demographics, such as digital media resource The Climate Tribe.
Sheikha Shamma is also the Founder of Reset MENA, a consulting business which provides energy and water efficiency solutions, and Chairperson of Alliances for Global Sustainability, which identifies, advises and invests in high-performing sustainability ventures.
In addition, Sheikha Shamma is a senior advisor to and active member of many high-level councils, alliances and businesses, including the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center’s Women Leaders in Energy and Climate Fellowship (2022-2023 cohort); the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Net Zero Living; the Advisory Board of Yale’s Center for Environmental Law and Policy; the Emirates Green Building Council; and the UAE Circular Economy Council.
Sheikha Shamma is the Co-Founder of Aurora50, an enterprise with a powerful vision to achieve gender balance in the workplace, and holds an MSt in Sustainability Leadership and an MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Cambridge.
Sheikh Fahim is a respected member of The Executive Council of Sharjah, an organization established to assist the Ruler of the Emirate, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, in drafting policies to raise the social and economic development of the Emirate.
In his role as the Executive Chairman of The Department of Government Relations, Sheikh Fahim leads the cooperation between Sharjah Government departments and International governments and NGOs. Working alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, the Department of Government Relations coordinates Sharjah’s international portfolio of trade, tourism, culture and educational ties across the globe.
Prior to joining the Sharjah Government, he worked in strategic advisory and performance monitoring of a portfolio of state-owned assets in the UAE. With a background in public sector strategy and investments, he supported the Government in developing policies to achieve both financial and socio-economic returns in state-owned enterprises.
Sheikh Fahim has been awarded the Grand Collar of the Order of Antonio José de Irisarri from the President of Guatemala. Sheikh Fahim serves as the Vice President of the Alliance Française of Sharjah. He holds a master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Cambridge and speaks four languages: English, Arabic, French, and German.
Sheikha Lubna holds the distinction of being the first Emirati woman to assume a ministerial post (2004), an achievement that put the UAE on the international map of female empowerment.
Leading to success four key ministries: 1st world Minister of State for Tolerance (2016-2017), Minister of Economy (2004-2008), Minister of Foreign Trade (2008-2013) and Minister of International Cooperation and Development (2013-2016), Sheikha Lubna was appointed President of Zayed University (2014-2018) for her drive, commitment and determination to achieve the educational priorities set by the UAE Government to attain the hallmark of excellency and position Zayed University amongst the premier renowned international universities.
Sheikha Lubna represents the face of women’s empowerment, ranking 36th Most Powerful Women on World’s 100 Most Powerful Women Listby Forbes 2017.
In 2017, Sheikha Lubnaranked 36th Most Powerful Woman on The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women Listby Forbes Magazine, and topped the List of Arab women competing under same List.
An inspirational and influential female leader, Her Excellency continues to earn highest global accolades for her distinctive accomplishments, including presidential medals.
Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh has served as the United Arab Emirates Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations since September 2013. She has also served as Assistant Minister for Political Affairs since February 2021 and non-resident Ambassador of the UAE to Grenada since November 2017. In December 2021, the late His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued a Federal Decree granting her the rank of Minister. In January 2023, she was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s Special Envoy to the United Nations, and the European Union.
A particular area of passion for her is the role of women in the promotion of peace and security. She was the President of the UN Women Executive Board in 2017 and led the UAE in working closely with UN Women to launch the Arab Women Military and Peacekeeping Programme in the UAE in 2019.
She served as Vice-President of the UN’s 72nd General Assembly and was a Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council reform in the 72nd, 73rd, and 74th sessions.
As an expression of the UAE’s commitment to multilateralism and the UN’s continued vitality and efficacy, Ambassador Nusseibeh co-facilitates and co-chairs the Friends of the Future of the UN (FFUN), a small group of Permanent Representatives who convene regularly for briefings and discussions on the most pressing issues affecting the future of the organization as part of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Revitalization of the UN General Assembly.
Even before her appointment as Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Nusseibeh was guided by a commitment to public service. At the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, she established the Ministry’s Policy Planning Department in 2009 and served as its first Director for three years. During this time, she was also the UAE Deputy Sherpa to the G20 under France’s presidency in 2011. From 2010 – 2011, she served as the UAE Co-Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Previously, she was the Head of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Campaign Task Force at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Director of Research and Communications for the Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs.
In 2017, she was awarded the UAE Prime Minister’s Government Excellence Award (the UAE Medal of Pride).
Ambassador Nusseibeh received an MA (Cantab) and BA (Hons) in History from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and an MA with Distinction in Israeli and Jewish Diaspora Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London in 2003.
She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, Treasurer on the Board of Directors of Security Council Report (SCR), and serves on the Advisory Board of The London School of Economics’ Middle East Centre, and on the Advisory Board of Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).
Kalimat Foundation began operations in 2016, to protect the rights of vulnerable and visually disabled children, and their ability to access books. The period was marked by obdurate civil conflict in the Middle East, including Syria, from where large populations fled to new countries and new cultural contexts. The same decade was also signified by growing requests from host nations for Arabic literature. Hand in hand with this call to action, to serve children in new territories and communities, came the step to support the literacy of visually impaired and blind youth, again underserved in their access to suitable reading material.
The paths taken by Pledge a Library and Ara; the foundation’s two main distribution programmes have often faced challenge. Regarding Pledge a Library, administering logistics was sometimes hard, as was receiving approvals where security concerns arose, particularly in public libraries and refugee camps. With Ara, decisions and book deliveries were hampered by obstacles ranging from a lack of guidelines supporting the production of accessible books, to a dearth in population demographics and scant information on organisations that serve those children.
Kalimat Foundation’s credibility has, nonetheless, been widely recognised, thanks to the standing of Kalimat Group in publishing and in the capacity for tailoring books based upon recipient demands. With effort, diligence and assistance from the United Arab Emirates’ foreign missions, intergovernmental and NGO partners; books have since made their way, or been committed to, migrant camps, migrant and community centres, libraries, schools and hospitals around the world. Here is a brief summary on progress over the past seven years.
In May 2017, a singular 1,000 book donation – a forerunner to Pledge a Library – made to Emirati Jordanian camp, was followed by another visit in September, with the purpose of celebrating the Islamic Eid Al Adha festival with the children.
These occasions, delivering insight to the existence that refugees live, and the lack of literary resources, spurred the further development of the foundation’s book distribution programming.
Pledge a Library and Ara
As for the public response to initiatives, following the September 2017 Pledge a Library launch, the foundation received 100 promises for donations in its first ten days – testament to the country’s respect for reading, literature and culture.
A first shipment of collections to Paris in March 2018, resulted in their utility for the country’s national Arabic reading competition. One of our readership swept first prize and gained entry to the Arab Reading Challenge in Dubai. Following Paris, requests came pouring in for Pledge a Library, where the foundation’s response transformed in a manner, to quenching a thirst for books. Europe subsequently became an arena needing significant literacy support in Arabic. In Italy, to help bridge the cultural gap, bilingual books were produced as result of partnership between Gallucci Publishing and Kalimat Group.
Jordan’s refugee camps on the other hand represented a different reality where schooling and education were more limited in resources. It is possibly for this reason that our books were integrated into extracurricular programmes.
Consequently, the library at Emirati Jordanian camp became a social hub for its boys and girls who, excited with the arrival of new book collections, stated their wish for all-night sit-ins and sleepovers. Further north at Zaatari, the foundation donated 20 libraries to Blumont, a humanitarian organisation, to help build a respectable collection providing for the settlement’s large population. Book clubs, storytelling gatherings and character role plays subsequently became new community repertories here, as they did in other parts of the world receiving donations. Added to this, with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions on movement, books became a useful aid to while time away for the children to read in their caravan homes.
With the Ara programme, in 2018 the foundation undertook a regional survey to gain a first-hand understanding of resources and needs amongst visually disabled child populations. Close to 20,000 youngsters were identified, together with information on age groups, teaching resources, teaching methods, literature available, literature in demand and the capacity to use technology.
Research data provided a privileged view upon which our strategy is based. A partnership agreement with the Accessible Books Consortium on collaboration for accessible publishing in Arabic, followed suit in November 2018. Training in born-accessible production was provided to regional imprints five months later with the aim of increasing the availability of accessible Arabic titles.
In reflection of the advances made by Ara, the programme was shortlisted for its first time at the Accessible Books Consortium International Excellence Awards in February 2020 under the initiative category. Furthermore, following the production of 100 books in Arabic using the EPUB3 format in April 2020, the foundation began on the preparations and submissions necessary for access to the ABC Global Book Service, the objective of which being to expand its accessible publishing remit.
Progress did not come without witnessing some of the harsh realities experienced by those that the foundation serves. A number of youngsters in refugee camps for instance, evidencing prodigious talent redoubled by blazing ambition, are limited in their access to material that would otherwise help them advance. English literature, grammar, science and maths being examples. Where the foundation has not been able to offer direct support, it has taken requests and amplified needs to international organisations capable of such provision. In this regard we do our best to extend help within our networks.
Reeling from the effects of the pandemic, 2020 was a hard year, not least for global publishing and those whom Kalimat Foundation works to serve. The ecosystem was thrown into flux carving out new considerations and new equilibrium. Books continued to be delivered to the Hekaya Arts literary initiative in Kenya where the schooling system was severely affected, and to Siilaanyo National Library in Hargeisa in the Somaliland region. Active communication continued with a number of beneficiaries across the globe, whose operations were also badly interrupted.
During lockdown, the foundation’s strategy with Ara, to give every child material in braille, large print and audio worked particularly well with one-on-one reading where parents in some instances used the large print, or listened to audio recordings, while their son or daughter read braille.
Notwithstanding the benefits delivered in print formats; e-books and digital libraries started to become very popular. As such the distribution objective turned to allocating resources to print and digital publishing on an equal split.
2021 represented sustained forward advance in supporting literacy. With the development of accessible digital publishing and traditional formats, the year witnessed expansion into Africa and further afield. In this regard, we were delighted to announce partnership with Book Aid International to help cement the effective achievement in our planning and distribution.
With typically relentless commitment, the operational team continued to make the opportunities for literacy amongst disadvantaged and visually disabled Arabic-speaking youth more viable in 2022. By September that hard work culminated in landmark achievement, in the license granted by the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy to publish titles in accessible formats. According to the statutes of the Marrakesh Treaty, when it comes to accessible book production, Kalimat Foundation can utilise and share publications through a global repository, representing an immeasurable wealth of literary resource.
In October 2022, the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) granted the foundation authorised entity status, allowing privileged use of its Global Book Service. As for the following month, November, Ara was shortlisted for the second time at the ABC Excellence Awards for Accessible Publishing under the initiatives category.
Today Kalimat Foundation has 133 digital accessible titles to its name, all of which are in e-book format, targetting Arabic speakers of school-going age, between three and 17 years.
Maintaining pace and momentum at the end of 2022, the total books donated by the foundation in both print and accessible formats, evidenced a rise of 43% on the previous year. New territories for distribution included Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Morocco, affirming further commitment in Africa.
Having secured publishing rights under the Marrakesh Treaty, the Kalimat Foundation was granted ‘Authorized Entity’ on the ABC Global Book Service, and became the first entity from the MENA region to integrate its catalogue of 100 books on the platform.
The foundation is now responsible for the second largest catalogue of Arabic books, and the only one in accessible EPUB3 format on the platform, offering the print disabled children rich navigation and accessibility features.
In its participation in the 42nd edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2023), Kalimat Foundation was recognized for its endeavors through “Ara” initiative, receiving a ‘Special Commendation Award’ from the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC), a subsidiary of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The special award, recognized KF’s achievements and efforts in supporting blind and visually impaired children by facilitating the production of accessible Arabic content, helping them learn as well as integrate better into society.
This acknowledgment resonates with the increasing global recognition of Sharjah’s vision which underscores the important role that knowledge has in empowering both societies and individuals.
The Kalimat Foundation team
In the shadow of the ongoing conflicts in our region and around the world, each of us is faced with the question: how can we help to alleviate the suffering of those affected, especially children? This question was the catalyst for the establishment of the Kalimat Foundation in 2016. Our mission is fueled by a passion to provide a semblance of normality and joy through books, often the only Arabic reading material accessible to many children fleeing conflict zones and living far away from home for an extended period of time. Our commitment is based on a belief in the power of literature to provide refuge, hope and a window to a vast world of knowledge and imagination, even in the most challenging circumstances.
Our mission is to ensure that every Arab child can exercise their right to read and have access to books. To achieve this ambitious goal, we are actively seeking to expand our partnerships. Our collaboration with the renowned Emirati artist, Mohammed Al Mansoori, exemplifies our commitment to fostering creativity in pursuit of our mission. Al Mansoori’s distinctive designs for merchandise will not only contribute to our cause but also help make literature accessible to all children.
The agreement with Majid Al Futtaim further amplifies this initiative by enabling the establishment of libraries with Arabic books in various locations. This will ensure that children have access to empowering literature. This partnership not only emphasizes the Foundation’s commitment to promoting a culture of reading, but also shows that working together in communities can make a big difference.
These partnerships directly support the Kalimat Foundation’s “Pledge a Library” initiative. This initiative is critical to providing book collections to forcibly displaced children living in disadvantaged communities in various regions, including the Middle East, Europe, South America, and parts of Africa. By providing compact libraries of 100 titles each in Arabic, the initiative has made great progress, distributing over 16,700 books in 24 countries and reaching more than 100,000 children. We carefully select recipients based on the needs of young people, their reading abilities and the potential benefits of KF contributions to ensure that the libraries have a meaningful impact in refugee camps, community centers, schools, universities, public libraries, hospitals and NGOs around the world.
Another KF initiative that has received support is the ‘Ara’ initiative, which was recently honored with a ‘Special Commendation Award’ by the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC). This prestigious recognition acknowledges the efforts of the ‘Ara’ initiative in producing accessible Arabic content for blind and visually impaired children and serves as a testament to KF’s commitment to fulfilling its vision of using knowledge to empower individuals and societies.
Our achievements at the Kalimat Foundation would not have been possible without the generous support and commitment of our outgoing Board members. Their dedication has been instrumental in paving the way for meaningful impact, and to each one, we extend our heartfelt gratitude for their service. As we welcome a new board, we are invigorated by the prospect of expanding our reach and deepening our impact. Together, we are committed to launching more initiatives to positively change the lives of displaced and disadvantaged children through access to knowledge and a world of transformative ideas.
Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh presented her credentials as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations in New York in September 2013. She also presented her credentials as non-resident Ambassador of the UAE to Grenada in November 2017. Ambassador Nusseibeh served as Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform for three sessions of the UN General Assembly from 2017 to 2020.
She previously served as Vice-President of the General Assembly for the 72nd session. She has also served as President of the UN Women Executive Board in 2017, as Co-facilitator of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Revitalization of the UN General Assembly for the 71st session of the General Assembly, and as Co-facilitator for the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in 2015.
Alongside the Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, Ambassador Nusseibeh Co-Chairs the Friends of the Future of the UN (FFUN), a small group of Permanent Representatives who convene regularly for briefings and unscripted, substantive discussions on the most pressing issues affecting the future of the organization. In 2017, she was awarded the UAE Prime Minister’s Government Excellence Award (the UAE Medal of Pride).
Prior to her appointment as Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Nusseibeh served in several capacities within the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, establishing the Ministry’s Policy Planning Department in 2009 and serving as its first Director for three years. During this time, she was also the UAE Deputy Sherpa at the G20 Leaders’ Summit under the Presidency of France in 2011. From 2010 –2011, she also served as the UAE Co-Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. Previously, she was the Head of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Campaign Task Force at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Director of Research and Communications for the Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs.
Ambassador Nusseibeh received an MA (Cantab) and BA (Hons) in History from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and an MA with Distinction in Israeli and Jewish Diaspora Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London in 2003. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy, Treasurer on the Board of Directors of Security Council Report (SCR), and serves on the Advisory Board of The London School of Economics’ Middle East Centre.
Majid Jafar is the CEO of Crescent Petroleum, the Middle East’s oldest private oil & gas company, and Vice-Chairman of the Crescent Group of companies which includes interests in port management, logistics, venture capital, private equity and real estate. He is also Managing Director of the Board of Dana Gas (PJSC), the leading publicly-listed natural gas company in the Middle East, in which Crescent is the largest shareholder.
His previous experience was with Shell International’s Exploration & Production and Gas & Power Divisions. In addition to his professional commitments, Majid Jafar is an advocate of responsible energy and sustainable development, and serves on the Energy Business Council of the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Advisory Board of the Responsible Energy Forum, the Stewardship Board of the Global System on Energy at the World Economic Forum, and the Board of Trustees of the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED). He promotes education and youth employment and is a Board Member of the Queen Rania Foundation and the Kalimat Foundation for Children’s Empowerment, as well as a founding patron of the Prince’s Trust International. He also serves on the Panel of Senior Advisers of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) in London, the International Advisory Board of The Atlantic Council in Washington DC, and the Board of Fellows of Harvard Medical School, and is a member of the GCC Board Directors Institute and the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), an Accredited Director of the Institute of Directors (IoD Mudara),and has been named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
Majid Jafar attended Eton College and graduated from Cambridge University (Churchill College) with Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Engineering (Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics). He also holds an MA (with Distinction) in International Studies and Diplomacy from the University of London’s School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), an MBA (with Distinction) from the Harvard Business School, and an Executive Certificate in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
Isobel Abulhoul has lived in Dubai since 1968 and co-founded Magrudy’s, a bookshop chain, in 1975 which is still thriving and has eight bookshops across the UAE. In 2008 Isobel founded the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word. In 2013, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and also the Festival’s patron, issued a Decree establishing the Emirates Literature Foundation, naming Isobel as one of the trustees on the Board and holds the position of CEO.
She is also a Trustee of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction Board, Secretary General of the Kalimat Foundation and a director of the Board for the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library. In addition, Isobel has been elected to the Supreme National Committee for Tolerance and has been selected as a member of the Police Advisory Council for Community Service.
Isobel has received several awards and accolades over the years such as Cultural Personality of the Year by Dr. HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah in 2010, and the prestigious OBE award by HM Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain in 2012. Isobel’s passion and drive for culture, education and literature remains as strong as ever.
Sheikha Jameela Al Qasimi is Director General of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services. Her work involves advocating disability rights in education, employment, rehabilitation, recreationand sports. In this regard, she has dedicated her work to promote community advancement and social development for such persons of determination, through awareness, integration, and empowerment.
Accordingly, throughout a career centred in community cohesiveness and strength, she has presided over programme strategies, driven innovation and headed public campaigns, resulting in greater social inclusion for persons with disabilities, in the Emirates and in the region. Further to her bachelor’s degree in psychology, Sheikha Jameela graduated with a master’s in business administration.
H.H. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi is a visionary philanthropic leader deeply committed to cultural preservation, socio-economic development, and enriching the lives of children through the transformative power of reading. As the Founder and Chairperson of the Kalimat Foundation, she has initiated numerous campaigns and distributed thousands of books to children in challenging circumstances to foster a love of reading and close educational gaps.
Sheikha Bodour’s commitment also extends to important roles in international organisations such as UNESCO and the International Publishers Association, where she advocates for solutions to pressing global issues such as education, cultural exchange and sustainable development.
Her commitment to the literary world is also evident in her founding of the Kalimat Publishing Group and her leadership role in establishing the Emirates Publishers Association, the Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association and chairing the Sharjah World Book Capital 2019 Committee.
As President of the American University of Sharjah, she aligns with her overarching vision of advancing education and promoting academic excellence.
Sheikha Bodour is an example of the transformative power of committed leadership. Her tireless efforts to empower children through reading underscore her commitment to collaboration, education and cultural awareness. Her impactful contributions underscore the profound influence of philanthropy and the written word in shaping societies and promoting a more inclusive world.
‘The key is always education. If children who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled can complete their schooling and experience no barriers in obtaining a higher education, the sky is the limit.’
The universe in which visually disabled children are educated, and cared for, requires substantial attention to needs. One that is embodied by manifest purpose, to guide and set a path for those whose worlds are shrouded in darkness, or obscurity, and where light, colour and form can be non-existent. Managing the futures of youth with such incapacity hence demands great responsibility. Where Kalimat Foundation has offered its support in aiding literacy, we have asked programme partners and recipients on some of the outcomes resulting from Ara interventions.
In respect to organisations that have benefited from, and supported Ara, their remits are often wide-ranging and include schooling and enrolment into education, life skills development, health, welfare and the progression of accessible publishing. In the Middle East context, where books in Arabic are often not readily available, Kalimat Foundation has worked to identify how best it can encourage reading.
With regard to Ara’s distribution, the giving of accessible books in different formats, namely braille, large print and audio is widely recognised as being a key advantage, to cater to both visually impaired and blind audiences. In addition, amongst recipients, the availability of audio books has been particularly supportive, for the reason that it allows sharing and understanding amongst people of differing abilities. In reference to the foundation’s large print books, these have been distinguished by their visible lettering, spacing, and colour schemes, for clear legibility, according to Anjad Zahdeh of the Blind Charitable Society in Hebron.
On the other hand, significant emphasis is given on the provision of books in print braille format, a costly publishing resource in some parts of the Middle East. This factor pointed to by Khaled Al Ahmed, assistant director at Al Noor School in Kuwait City, has been much valued when positioned against both the suitability of titles for the school’s pupils and the respective outlay it would require in purchasing such material.
The Emirates Association of the Visually Impaired, amongst whose objectives it is to build skills for productive lives, is a partner and beneficiary on the Ara programme. This organisation, guides on the correct use of braille language in Arabic, and prints Kalimat titles in braille. Commenting on the foundation’s work, Mais Ahmed of the EAVI mentions that effort amongst institutions to support publishing for the visually disabled develops greater awareness, open mindedness and acceptance, resulting in integration throughout society. Such beliefs are echoed by Majd Al Shehhi, initiatives director at 1001 Titles, a publishing programme and collaborator with Ara, that aims to encourage creativity in authoring in the Emirates, and develop recognition for accessible books.
Ara continues to spread its wings, through wider global reach and the integration of digital accessible content, underpinning the foundation’s license to publish and extending access to more visually disabled readers. On this matter, Monica Lövblad, head of the Accessible Books Consortium, asserts that in the employment of technology, publishers can make their books born accessible, and hence available from the beginning to the visually disabled. If born accessible publishing is not available, she continues, source digital files could be offered to libraries or associations for the blind that own the resources to convert literature more easily to the right formats.
As for expectations on what the blind and visually impaired could achieve if reading technologies were made available, ‘The key is always education’ continues Ms. Lövblad, ‘If children who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled, can complete their schooling and experience no barriers in obtaining a higher education, the sky is the limit.’
Through working hard, and in keeping faithful to the literacy needs of those who cannot see, the foundation has taken strides to ensure that blind and visually impaired youth stay in touch with the future, in order that they keep step with the world as it advances.
‘We have had on two occasions girls come to the library and literally jump up and down with joy when they saw the books.’
Three and half years on from its November 2017 launch, Pledge a Library partners and recipients have commented on results arising from book donations. A number of common gains have emerged, some of which were foreseen from the outset, while others have transpired with time. The development of literacy in Arabic and its contribution to formal education, is considered a key benefit amongst organisations receiving books on the Pledge a Library programme. In northern Jordan’s Zaatari camp, housing a population of about 80,000 refugees from Syria, Blumont, a not-for-profit organisation responsible for a community-based protection project, manages the libraries sent by Kalimat Foundation.
According to Siraj Al-Hmoud, the senior camp manager, up to 2,000 children aged from two to 17 years old, have access to the books. Through Blumont’s Tiger reading club, literacy has become an integral component to a holistic learning framework constituting Arabic and English languages, ICT and art. Outreach programmes that push into Zaatari’s districts by way of mobile libraries, have also been implemented to foster community spirit. Libraries in the refugee camp have subsequently become a cornerstone of everyday life, in which children, parents, businesses and institutions all partake in lending and reading opportunities.
Elsewhere, in East Africa, in the Somaliland region, Siilaanyo public library in Hargeisa, hosts 30 schools and 120 pupils a week, where the foundation’s books occupy a children’s corner used in group reading sessions. Hargeisa is a city that accommodates migrant communities from the Horn of Africa, who find residence for economic purpose, or who arrive having been displaced because of conflict, insecurity or drought. The public library is as such a unique service providing a formative stage for literacy development. In Kenya, Hekaya Arts’ Sona Sama initiative, has plans to employ the collection donated to it, to encourage a multilingual reading culture encompassing Kiswahili, English and Arabic amongst schools in its network. Accordingly, the progression of language education in Africa, has embodied a new phase in Pledge a Library’s evolution. Social interaction, community development and achievement amongst migrant groups, reflects another key role for the programme.
In Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy two sisters amongst Kalimat Foundation’s book readership in France, came first and third in the country’s 2018 national Arabic language reading competition. For Tasnim, the elder sibling, 12 years old at the time, the accomplishment gained her participation at the Arab Reading Challenge in Dubai, in the same year. It is for a similar purpose; to prepare for the international competition, that children have visited Athens-based We Need Books, an NGO providing multilingual libraries for the city’s residents. Beyond this, states Ioanna Nissiriou, co-founder of the Greek reading initiative, ‘We have had on two occasions girls come to the library and literally jump up and down with joy when they saw the books.’
Strengthening cultural ties thus forms another bedrock of the programme, where preserving homeland traditions is seen as key to cementing belonging and developing confidence. One partner vested in the Pledge a Library programme is Italy’s section of the International Board on Books for Young People. With regard to migrant and refugee communities, Marcella Terrusi, an IBBY volunteer and assistant professor in education at the University of Bologna states the importance of reading in the mother tongue, and keeping links with identity and origins, to improve prospects in later life. She goes on to assert that in linguistics, studies suggest that youngsters should sustain the native language in order to learn a new one. Parallel language development, hence considered a critical factor for integration, was further aided by the production of bilingual titles in Arabic and Italian, through partnership between Italy’s Gallucci publishing and Kalimat Group. Hence in 11 libraries across Italy, in cities, villages and islands, the Pledge a Library collections are understood to form a bridge, leading toward development, stability and growth.
In similar vein in Brazil, Deise Zanardi of SP Leituras, the São Paulo Association of Libraries and Reading, an NGO whose objective it is to promote culture, reading and literature, goes further to comment, that learning about others – an important theme running through Kalimat books – is encouraged amongst children from varying national backgrounds when they come and visit.
The holding onto cultural bonds marks the purpose for which São Paolo’s Escola Islâmica Brasileira was founded by Lebanese migrants, states Imam Al Bukai, one of its directors, where the foundation’s books are seen as fitting its purpose.
The availability of print books has constituted another paramount benefit amongst recipients, particularly in poorer areas where electricity and mobile data access are limited; a point reinforced by Clair Bradley, trusts and foundation manager of the United Kingdom’s Book Aid International, responsible for the Hargeisa book delivery. Similarly, Abdulrahman Ndegwa, managing director and curator of the Hekaya Arts Initiative identifies the intimacy and closeness that books in physical form engender, ‘Closeness, as we say, breeds affection, and affection breeds love.’ A closeness and love that many parents will recognise, in the level of absorption that their children derive in reading, and more, their desire to narrate stories just read.
Pledge a Library pursues extending its reach to places where underserved youngsters need books in the Arabic language. In the provision of libraries, and of engaging stories and characters; the drive for equitable literacy is expected to accelerate. So is the forging of gains so far realised and new gains to come, leading to more literate, more confident persons in adulthood and the better ability to face a future world.
Kalimat Foundation began operations in 2016, to protect the rights of vulnerable and visually disabled children, and their ability to access books. The period was marked by obdurate civil conflict in the Middle East, including Syria, from where large populations fled to new countries and new cultural contexts. The same decade was also signified by growing requests from host nations for Arabic literature. Hand in hand with this call to action, to serve children in new territories and communities, came the step to support the literacy of visually impaired and blind youth, again underserved in their access to suitable reading material.
The paths taken by our Pledge a Library and Ara programmes, have not been without challenge. Regarding Pledge a Library, administering logistics was sometimes very hard, as was receiving approvals where security concerns arose, particularly in public libraries and refugee camps. With Ara, decisions and book deliveries were hampered by obstacles ranging from a lack of guidelines supporting the production of accessible books, to a dearth in population demographics and scant information on organisations that serve those children.
Kalimat Foundation’s credibility has, nonetheless, been widely recognised, thanks to the standing of Kalimat Group in publishing and in the capacity for tailoring books based upon recipient demands. With effort, diligence and assistance from the United Arab Emirates’ foreign missions, 22,405 books have since made their way, or been committed to, migrant camps, migrant and community centres, libraries, schools and hospitals around the world. Here is a brief summary on how we have progressed on programming in the past five years.
In May 2017, a singular 1,000 book donation made to Emirati-Jordanian camp, a forerunner to Pledge a Library, was followed by a subsequent visit in September, with the purpose of celebrating the Islamic Eid Al Adha festival with its children.
These occasions, delivering insight to the existence that refugees live, and the lack of literary resources, spurred the further development of the foundation’s book distribution programming.
As for the public response to initiatives, following the September 2017 Pledge a Library launch, the foundation received 100 promises for donations in its first ten days – testament to the country’s respect for the importance of reading, literature and culture.
A first shipment of collections to Paris in March 2018, resulted in their utility for the country’s national Arabic reading competition. One of our readership swept first prize and gained entry to the Arab Reading Challenge in Dubai. Following Paris, requests came pouring in for Pledge a Library, where the foundation’s response transformed in a manner, to quenching a thirst for books. Europe became an arena needing literacy support in Arabic, though welfare systems tend to be robust. In Italy, to help bridge the cultural gap, bilingual books were produced as result of partnership between Gallucci Publishing and Kalimat Group.
Jordan’s refugee camps on the other hand represented a different reality where schooling and education have been more limited. It is possibly for this reason that our books were integrated into extracurricular programmes.
Consequently, the library at Emirati Jordanian camp has become a social hub for its boys and girls who, excited with the arrival of new book collections, have stated their wish for all-night sit-ins and sleepovers. Further north, at Zaatari, the foundation donated 20 libraries to Blumont in order to help build a respectable collection covering the settlement’s large population. Book clubs, storytelling gatherings, character role plays subsequently became new community repertories here, as they did in other parts of the world receiving donations. Added to this, with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions on movement, books became a useful aid to while time away for the children to read while in their caravan homes.
As for the Ara programme, in 2018 the foundation undertook a regional survey to gain a firsthand, unique understanding of resources and needs amongst visually disabled child populations. Close to 20,000 youngsters were identified, together with information on age groups, teaching resources, teaching methods, literature available, literature in demand and the capacity to use technology. Such data has provided a privileged view upon which our strategy is based. A partnership agreement with the Accessible Books Consortium on collaboration in accessible publishing in Arabic, followed suit in November 2018 and training provided to regional imprints five months later. In reflection of the advances made by Ara, the programme was shortlisted for the Accessible Books Consortium International Excellence Awards in February 2020 under the initiative category. Furthermore, following the production of 100 books in Arabic using the EPUB3 format in April 2020, the foundation anticipates the online publication of its books on the ABC Global Book Service for worldwide availability.
Progress has not come without witnessing some of the harsh realities experienced by those that the foundation seeks to serve. A number of youngsters in refugee camps for instance, evidence prodigious talent, redoubled by blazing ambition to do well in life. However, they are greatly limited in their access to material that would help them advance. English literature and grammar, science, astronomy, maths and music being examples. Where the foundation has not been able to offer direct support, it has taken requests and amplified needs to international organisations capable of such supply. In this regard we do our best to extend help within our networks.
Reeling from the effects of the pandemic, 2020 was a hard year, not least for global publishing and those whom Kalimat Foundation works to serve. The ecosystem was thrown into flux defining new considerations and new equilibrium. Books continued to be delivered to the Hekaya Arts literary initiative in Kenya where the schooling system was severely affected, and to Siilaanyo library in Hargeisa in the Somaliland region. Active communication continued with a number of beneficiaries across the globe, whose operations were also badly interrupted.
During lockdown, the foundation’s strategy with Ara, to give every child material in braille, large print and audio worked particularly well with one-on-one reading where parents in some instances used the large print, or listened to audio recordings, while their son or daughter read braille.
Notwithstanding the benefits delivered in print formats; e-books and digital libraries have also become very popular. As such the objective now is to allocate resources to print and digital publishing on an equal split. The new move involves international collaboration, and we expect the best of both worlds.
2021 represents an exciting stage, pushing forward and advancing further in supporting literacy amongst the underserved. Together with the development of accessible digital publishing and distribution via online platforms and traditional formats, the year ahead also represents expansion into Africa and further afield. In this regard, we are delighted to announce partnership with Book Aid International to help cement the effective achievement in our planning and distribution.
Our effort thus continues to leverage a number of global partners in publishing, technology, national and international government, and organisations in the charities segment. Kalimat Foundation’s mission is to serve vulnerable and visually disabled children, to provide them with knowledge and ideas in books, through a number of accessible formats. In this it is believed that the underserved are to find the chance to develop and achieve greater prospects in life, and fittingly, greater reward.
The Kalimat Foundation team
As a publisher and a mother, seeing my children’s eyes light up when they open a book for the first time, I find it hard to accept that millions of boys and girls are still not able to benefit from the joy that reading presents. It has subsequently become my mission, to deliver books into the hands of underserved youth in the region and worldwide, with the belief that we owe vulnerable young minds a better narrative in life.
Reading ignites curiosity, sparks the imagination, encourages dialogue and opens the doors to a variety of creative possibilities. I want to bring this magic into as many lives as possible. In 2016, I launched Kalimat Foundation to empower underprivileged children through books, with the expectation that this might lead toward literacy and more prosperous futures. In honour of this pursuit, we have since sent collections to communities in rural areas, hospitals, orphanages, refugee camps, libraries and schools. Our greatest distribution efforts are for displaced children from the Middle East, largely affected by war, and those with visual disabilities. The contribution toward the former aims to preserve the cultural identity for ones separated from their homelands, and to promote the region’s heritage and the Arabic language. For the blind and visually impaired, the objective is to develop literacy to advance self-dependence and integration into society.
Every project and programme launched revolves around our purpose. We have in total, committed and delivered a touch above 22,400 books in 23 countries. Through the ‘Pledge a Library’ initiative, 12,500 books have been donated offering access to an approximate 89,000 youngsters in four continents. We have further received delightful news of the evolution of book clubs comprising our titles, in recipient locations around the world. With Ara, meaning ‘I see’ in Arabic, the foundation offers audio, large-print, and print braille books to visually disabled boys and girls, and their families in order that they read, or listen to, stories together.
Correspondingly, insight is offered in this report on our activity, progress, international footprint, recipient and partner input, as well as statistics on book distribution. I am grateful to our partners, for the diligence and support given in advising where to deliver books and libraries, and for their involvement in publishing. I would also like to thank our sponsors for the very generous donations, making this endeavour for knowledge possible. Covid-19 has been exceptionally challenging for children’s education and the drive toward literacy. It has accelerated the need to develop online technologies in reading support – a format that is being called for, from places as far afield as Zaatari refugee camp in northern Jordan to São Paulo in Brazil.
We shall continue to work very hard to nurture underserved boys and girls, to promote reading’s transformative potential, and pass on the best of our living culture. A better future sits between the pages of many books. The purpose that began as a seed in a mother’s mind, is now a global movement that we hope will take root, diversify and grow. Our ultimate goal is to close the literacy gap and drive more equitable futures for those who experience tremendous difficulties at a young age.
Bodour Al Qasimi, Founder and Chairperson