January 23, 2023 – The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) will participate in the 54th Cairo International Book Fair, which will be held at the Egypt International Exhibition Centre (EIEC), New Cairo, between January 24 and February 6, 2023. During this participation, MBRF will explore prospects for partnerships with various leading knowledge foundations that will help enhance Arab knowledge content, along with showcasing its diverse innovative projects, programs, and initiatives.

H.E. Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, underlined the foundation’s commitment to participating in a range of prominent knowledge events, to advance knowledge at local, regional, and global levels. He added that the participation at the Cairo International Book Fair is consistent with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, aimed at creating and supporting knowledge communities, enabling creativity and innovation, encouraging future planning, and achieving sustainable development of communities.

During the event, MBRF will introduce the Digital Knowledge Hub, the largest open Arab Platform for digital content, in order to boost its digital presence. As the first Arabic platform to provide numerous possibilities by bringing together institutions, people, and the market under one roof, the hub further assists Arab publicists in strengthening their presence across the UAE and various gulf markets. The platform further provides access to free knowledge content for readers, researchers, and students.

MBRF will further emphasise the numerous activities and services provided by the Digital Knowledge Hub, and methods to use and benefit from the platform. The foundation will also highlight the crucial role of the platform in managing digital knowledge for all individuals interested in knowledge, including authors, publishers, and the final beneficiaries. In addition to introducing the Digital Knowledge Hub to students studying library sciences, information, and computing in universities as well as Egyptian research, educational, and vocational institutions, MBRF will also address a number of important knowledge aspects, such as effective reading strategies, content creation strategies in the Arab world, and development of Arab digital platforms.

The Foundation will also highlight the Knowledge Project, a joint initiative between the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme’s Regional Bureau for Arab States (UNDP RBAS). The project aims at supporting the countries of the Arab States region and beyond in their journeys to build knowledge societies to achieve sustainable development. It encompasses a variety of knowledge products which started in 2009, including three Arab Knowledge Reports, the Arab Knowledge Index, the Knowledge4All portal and mobile application, the Arab Reading Index, the Future of Knowledge Foresight Reports, and the Global Knowledge Index. The objectives and areas of focus of the Knowledge Project revolve around identifying the strengths and weaknesses of knowledge systems; directing development policies to build knowledge societies and economies; organizing youth events and initiatives; Building global partnerships to develop the skills of the Arab youth generation.

Being a prominent platform, the Cairo International Book Fair assembles several key entities and professionals from various fields and provides an ideal venue to organise several knowledge activities and events. Through its participation, MBRF aims to accomplish its objectives of increasing levels of collaboration with key entities to create and disseminate knowledge. The foundation continues to collaborate with academic institutions and publishers to stay updated with recent developments in the publishing sector and its methods, as well as explore potential for further growth.

H.E. Jamal bin Huwaireb said: “The Cairo International Book Fair is one of the significant events in the Arab world, which contributes significantly to the advancement of knowledge and encourages creativity and innovation. We are extremely delighted to participate in the 54th edition of this fair as it provides us the opportunity to engage in various discussions, exchange ideas, and explore significant knowledge concerns. This is consistent with the goal and mission of MBRF to advance intellectual and knowledge exchange, as well as solidify the significance of knowledge in developing communities. Additionally, the fair will attract a broad range of audiences witnessing numerous activities and projects, and we are excited to meet and interact with the attendees. As the fair serves as an important forum for the publishing sector on a local and regional level, we will also leverage this occasion to promote our partnership with the largest publishing organisations.”

The Cairo International Book Fair is one of the largest and most important Arab and international book fairs. In addition to holding a variety of activities and theatre performances each year, it also includes seminars with participation from important writers, novelists, and knowledge leaders, as well as organises exhibitions of art and cinematography. This year, the fair expects the participation of around 1047 Arab and foreign publishers from across 53 different nations.

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