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Khaleej Times
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
'Sharing Emirati identity': Sharjah showcases UAE literature at Rio International Book Fair
Sharjah is participating in the Rio International Book Fair 2025, presenting a range of Emirati and Arab literary works as part of efforts to strengthen cultural exchange with Latin America. The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) is showcasing Emirati literature translated into Portuguese and promoting Sharjah's role in the global publishing industry at the Rio International Book Fair 2025. The event, which runs until June 22, coincides with Rio de Janeiro's designation as UNESCO's World Book Capital for 2025 a title previously held by Sharjah in participation comes under the directives of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA). Through its pavilion, SBA is presenting works from the UAE and the Arab world, highlighting developments in literature, publishing, and cultural programming. The delegation is also engaging with international publishers, translators, and cultural institutions to explore opportunities for cooperation and translation. SBA CEO Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri said the participation reflects the vision of Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who views culture as central to development. 'Sharjah's presence in Rio is about sharing Emirati identity while building stronger connections with Latin American cultural communities,' he said. As part of the book fair's programme, SBA organised a panel titled: " The heritage of Arab literature and Sharjah-led new literary movement", featuring Emirati authors whose works have been translated into Portuguese. These included Abdul Hamid Ahmad, Lulwah Al Mansouri, and Nasser Al Dhaheri. The session focused on Sharjah's role in supporting authors and encouraging new writing. The fair also featured a book signing ceremony for the translated titles, aimed at promoting Emirati literature to new audiences. SBA used the platform to introduce key cultural and publishing initiatives from the emirate, including the Sharjah International Book Fair, Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, and Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone. Other programmes highlighted included the Sharjah Publishing Sustainability Fund (Onshur) and the Sharjah Literary Agency, which supports Arab authors and expands their international reach. The Sharjah pavilion also hosted the PublisHer initiative, founded by Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi to support women in publishing. A selection of titles from Al Qasimi Publications and works from the Department of Culture were also on display. First held in 1983, the Rio International Book Fair is Brazil's largest literary event, attracting more than 600,000 visitors. Organised by the National Union of Book Publishers (SNEL), it serves as a key platform for exchanging ideas and promoting global literary dialogue.
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Shanghai Week building global audience for Hong Kong arts and culture
The forward momentum of Hong Kong's arts scene is evident, and it is about to move beyond the city's boundaries. Since its establishment in 2008, the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority has nurtured artistic talent and presented their strengths and creativity through a wide variety of programmes and exhibitions, many of which have won local and international acclaim. Advertisement Now we are embarking on the next step in our mission, which is to help the city's unique cultural programmes go global. The 2025 WestK Shanghai Week , which takes place from June 18-22, marks an important milestone in this ambition. We chose Shanghai for the first major West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK) venture outside Hong Kong for a good reason – the two cities are connected in many ways. Both are vibrant East-meets-West centres of cultural exchange with a truly international outlook. Both cities have rich and diverse heritage that fosters the development of the arts and creative industries, and both are home to sophisticated audiences who always look for fresh and innovative cultural experiences. The best of Hong Kong will be on show in Shanghai this week. Highlighted programmes of 2025 WestK Shanghai Week include the mainland debut of the original Cantonese musical The Impossible Trial , which was a great hit in Hong Kong. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Palace Museum is staging a brand new exhibition 'City Rhythms: Chinese Traditional Culture Reinterpreted' exhibition at the Zhangyuan complex M+'s highly acclaimed exhibition ' I.M. Pei: Life Is Architecture ', which opened in the Power Station of Art in late April, has generated a real buzz in Shanghai. Advertisement In addition to musicals, the Shanghai audience will see a string of other performing arts genres showcasing Hong Kong's top artistic talent, from traditional Chinese opera and jazz to contemporary dance.
NHK
4 days ago
- NHK
Japan's Princess Kako returns from official tour of Brazil
Japan's Princess Kako has returned from an official visit to Brazil, completing an 11-day tour of eight cities, including the country's largest, Sao Paulo. The second daughter of Crown Prince and Princess Akishino transited on civilian aircraft in the United States and landed at Narita Airport near Tokyo, shortly after 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Princess Kako smiled as she was greeted by senior members of the Imperial Household Agency. During her trip, the princess attended various welcoming events and promoted friendly relations and exchanges. She touched upon the history of Japanese immigrants in Brazil, which is home to the largest overseas community of Japanese descendants. In the capital, Brasilia, Princess Kako attended a commemorative ceremony and luncheon to mark the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. She also paid a courtesy call on Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who made a state visit to Japan in March. On Friday, she visited Mount Corcovado, a World Heritage site famous for being where the Christ the Redeemer statue overlooks Rio de Janeiro. She wrapped up her tour with a visit to Iguazu Falls at a national park, and learned about the local nature and culture.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's first major Islamic art exhibition set to open at Palace Museum
An exhibition featuring 90 works, including Islamic carpets, ceramics and manuscripts, from the 10th to the 19th centuries will open in Hong Kong on Wednesday amid government efforts to forge stronger ties with the Middle East. Advertisement The show, 'Wonders of Imperial Carpets: Masterpieces from the Museum of Islamic Art, Doha', is hosted by the Hong Palace Museum and marks the Qatari institution's debut in the city. 'This exhibition showcases a millennium of cultural exchange between the Islamic world and China and sheds light on the historical roots of today's Belt and Road Initiative,' Hong Kong Palace Museum director Louis Ng Chi-wa said on Monday, referring to Beijing's scheme to grow global trade. Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr, director of the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA), said dozens of national treasures would be on display and were chosen from a vast 12,000-piece collection. The show marked a 'significant moment' for the institution, she added. 'This collaboration reflects our belief that art has the power to connect culture and transcend borders,' she said, adding that they were committed to creating spaces that invited dialogue, curiosity and deeper understanding. The 17th century 'Kevorkian Hyderabad carpet' is among the exhibits. Photo: May Tse Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu led a visit to the Middle East earlier this year, following one in 2023, with the aim of driving more business and people-to-people ties amid escalating China-US tensions and geopolitical uncertainty.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Beijing Review: Civilizations in Conversation
BEIJING, June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 7, 2024, the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted a China-proposed resolution to designate June 10 as the International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations. The event's first edition was celebrated worldwide on June 10 this year. The establishment of the day could not have been more timely, as it seeks to draw global attention to the importance of dialogue and promote greater exchange and harmony among civilizations. "Things are born to be different." This line from The Mencius, a collection of sayings of Confucian philosopher Mencius, who lived some 2,300 years ago, captures a fundamental truth rooted in the laws of nature: Everything in the world is inherently different. On March 28, 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping quoted this line in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference, an annual forum held in Boao, a resort town in China's southern island province of Hainan. The quote stresses that all civilizations are unique and no one is superior to the other. Xi called on the international community to foster dialogue and exchange among civilizations and different development models, to learn from each other through healthy competition and to achieve shared development through mutual understanding. Inter-civilizational exchange should serve as a bridge that connects nations, an engine that drives human progress and a bond that sustains world peace, he added. Once again, the global community has arrived at a critical juncture, where regional conflicts continue to break out, where humanity faces mounting challenge to global peace, security, development and governance. Against this backdrop, a way for civilizations to coexist in harmony has become a pressing challenge--one that the international community can no longer afford to ignore. In response to this challenge, Xi first proposed the Global Civilizations Initiative at the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting held in Beijing in March 2023. The initiative calls for a shared commitment to respecting the world's diverse civilizations. This means upholding the principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness, bridging divides through exchange, resolving tensions through mutual understanding and moving beyond claims of cultural superiority toward peaceful coexistence. It is in this spirit that China has positioned itself as both a staunch advocate of and an active participant in inter-civilizational exchange. The country has built multiple platforms dedicated to promoting dialogue and cultural exchange. Through these efforts, the Chinese philosophy that every civilization has its own beauty and all can flourish together has found growing resonance around the world. Meanwhile, the world remains shadowed by lingering notions of "civilizational superiority" and the "clash of civilizations," a concept first introduced in 1992 by U.S. political scientist Samuel Huntington, who argued that people's cultural and religious identities would become the primary source of conflict in the post-Cold War era. These recurring echoes of obsolete thinking are a reminder that old prejudices die hard. We should all keep in mind that every nation has its own history, culture and social system, and that this diversity is a defining feature of civilizations. It is not our differences but our pride and prejudice that divide us. By finding common ground amid differences and seeking solidarity through mutual respect as well as open dialogue, our diverse civilizations will not only shine all the more brightly but also come together to light the way toward a better future for all of humanity. TikTokhttps:// Xhttps:// Facebookhttps:// YouTubehttps:// Weibohttps:// Websitehttps:// View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Beijing Review
