At the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair, publishers and translators find great scope for translations from and to the Arabic language.
Sharjah, November 14, 2025
Translations of classics have been a great binding factor for the world at large, and the sheer volume of translated works at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025) makes its goal of being a cultural bridge and meeting place truly relevant. The Sharjah Book Authority’s translation grant ‘Turjuman’ has provided the necessary fillip for this cross-cultural connection and literary enrichment.
At the Sharjah International Book Fair’s Cookery Corner, the Damascus-born chef prepares the beloved dish Kebab Hindi while sharing his journey of resilience and culinary passion
Sharjah, November 14, 2025
The Cookery Corner at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025) filled with the aromas of Damascus as Syrian chef Diaa Alhanoun took the stage, guiding audiences through the flavours, memories and heritage behind one of Syria’s most cherished comfort dishes: Kebab Hindi.
Warmly greeted by an enthusiastic crowd, Chef Alhanoun introduced the dish by recounting the origins of its distinctive name. Although called “Indian Kebab,” he explained that the recipe is believed to have been brought to Syria generations ago by an Indian family, later evolving to suit local tastes and traditions.
Running until March 13, the exhibition explores the life, exile and legacy of one of the Arab world’s most influential poets through poetry, art, personal archives and multimedia displays.
, Sharjah, November 14, 2025
Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), inaugurated The Dice Player: Mahmoud Darwish exhibition at House of Wisdom (HoW) in Sharjah. Running for four months until March 13, 2026, the exhibition unfolds as an artistic and cultural journey celebrating the legacy of the Palestinian poet.
From Malayalam bestsellers to Tamil classics, Indian publishers and readers celebrate their shared cultural roots at the world’s largest book fair
Sharjah, November 14, 2025
The Indian participation at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025) continues to be an indispensable factor owing to the large Indian population in the UAE, a good many of them keeping in touch with their roots through the books from their homeland and in their mother tongue.
The crackle of old songs and the buzz of self-checkout kiosks tell a single story of how AI, audiobooks and automation are transforming not just how we read, but how we remember
Sharjah, November 12, 2025
Between the crackle of a phonograph playing an old Abdel Halim Hafez tune and the soft hum of self-checkout kiosks at a fancy, futuristic pop-up store, there’s a world at this 44th edition of Sharjah International Book Fair 2025 (SIBF) that’s straddling nostalgia and next-generation tech.
Amidst old books and timeless popular classics at the 12-day event, the buzz of Artificial Intelligence (AI), audiobooks and automation is unmissable at the region’s largest book fair, quietly screaming at the visitors – young and old alike – as if to tell them how they’re changing not only how stories are written and sold, but how they are lived and remembered.
At a pop-up run by Menassah Distribution Company, visitors scan their own purchases at a self-paying checkout kiosk. “It’s faster, smarter, and lets our staff have more time to engage with the visitors,” said a staff member. “This is how the bookstore of the future will look.”
For others, AI is more than a convenience – it’s a creative partner. Even for Ehab Elrifai, owner of New Azbakya, who’s selling vintage Arab newspapers and magazines dating back to the early 1900s at this SIBF. Yet even his sepia-tinted corner of the fair is turning digital. “I’ve started using AI to catalogue and digitise thousands of magazines,” he said. “I’m planning an online archive that will preserve Arab print culture and make it searchable for students, researchers across the world and basically anyone interested in Arab culture.”
While exhibitors explore new tools, authors are finding ways to balance technology with craft. Shirley Jump, a New York Times bestselling writer and one of the several prominent speakers at this SIBF, says she embraces AI for productivity, if not for storytelling. “I use AI to create handouts for my courses, design social media graphics, or summarise transcripts,” she said. “It saves time – it’s like having an assistant. But I never use it for fiction. That’s where the joy is. AI can’t put in the emotion, the soul.”
Jump, known for books like The Sweetheart Secret and The Sweetheart Rules, said she hopes writers won’t lose sight of the craft itself. “Everyone’s rushing to publish. AI can help speed things up, sure – but good writing still takes time, care, and heart,” she added.
AI in interpretation and beyond
Meanwhile, in a first for the SIBF, Jump’s live forum was simultaneously translated by an AI-powered real-time interpretation system, offering audiences instant access to her talk in six languages – English, Arabic, French, Chinese, Hindi and Spanish. “Our goal is to make knowledge borderless,” said Tabish Zaidi, CEO of Jeem & Co, the UAE-based startup that’s piloting the system at SIBF 2025. “AI interpretation removes linguistic barriers and allows every visitor, regardless of language, to share the same experience, live, human, and inclusive.”
For young readers, the change is already embedded in their routines. Fatima Al Shehhi, a 21-year-old literature student from the University of Sharjah visiting this SIBF, said she now listens to audiobooks during commutes and uses AI tools to summarise readings. “It doesn’t replace reading for sure but it does help me stay connected when life gets busy,” she said while scouting for audio books in Hall 6 of the Sharjah Expo Centre where the 12-day festival is being held by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) until November 16 under the theme Between you and a book.
Another student, Asmi Pattnaik, 13, from Our Own English High school, whose interests range from children’s fantasy, adventure and graphic novel series Amulet besides books on AI said: “Some AI reading platforms actually let you adjust the tone and pacing. It’s strange at first, but kind of amazing – like reading and watching at the same time.”
And publishers at the SIBF are keeping pace too. Hanes Medinaceli, Sales Manager for the English section at Little Puffin Publishing, said titles related to AI are flying off shelves. “All six of our AI-themed children’s books sold out within days,” he said. “Even audiobooks like Diary of a Wimpy Kid are now among our bestsellers. Families are embracing the format – it makes reading a shared experience again.”
Still, amid the algorithms and audiobooks, the fair’s enduring appeal lies in its blend of cultures and eras – from century-old Egyptian magazines to cutting-edge storytelling workshops powered by machine learning.
“Technology is rewriting the rules,” Jump said. “But whether you’re reading a 1912 magazine or a story co-written with AI – it’s still about connection. That part will never change. And that’s what makes this fair so special.”
UAE News 24/7 