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The Ministry of Culture organised ‘Reading Retreat 2026′ at the 35th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2026 (ADIBF), convening government entities, cultural and educational institutions, experts and specialists. The platform facilitated impactful discussions on the UAE’s reading landscape and reviewed key findings of the UAE ‘National Reading Index 2025’. It also explored future challenges and trends, led by a vision to develop national initiatives that can strengthen the future reading landscape.
Choosing Abu Dhabi International Book Fair as the setting for the Retreat is a strategic decision aimed at bringing discussions on national policies, components of the reading ecosystem and the book industry within a single venue. Convening cultural and educational institutions, publishers, creators, experts and readers, the Fair serves as the ideal avenue to transform the findings of the ‘UAE National Reading Index 2025’ into practical initiatives. It also sets the stage for discussions on the future of reading amid ongoing transformations shaping the publishing and digital content sectors.
The decision to host the Retreat at the Fair carries additional significance as it marks ten years since the declaration of the ‘Year of Reading’ initiative and the issuance of the Reading Law. This signifies a pivotal milestone, transitioning from merely assessing decade-long national efforts to now setting goals for the next decade and strengthening integration among various stakeholders involved in building the reading society.
H
E. Mubarak Al Nakhi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, said: “Reading is one of the key pillars of human development that contributes to enhancing learning, critical thinking and creativity. To develop a robust national reading ecosystem, we need to move beyond individual initiatives and embrace a vision spanning diverse sectors and community institutions. The ‘Reading Retreat’ brings together key national partners to review achievements, understand challenges and design practical initiatives that respond to the needs of society and support the future of reading in the UAE.”
His Excellency added: “The upcoming phase presents an important opportunity to renew our commitment to reading and expand its impact, making it an integral part of individuals’ lives at every stage, in school, home, workplace and beyond. Through the Retreat, we aim to formulate an ambitious national strategy for 2027–2037 that enhances access to books and knowledge sources, supports the publishing industry and libraries, as well as harnesses innovation and modern technologies to achieve our goals of building a reading society that can produce knowledge and keep pace with the future.”
H.E. Dr Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), said: “The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair provides an ideal environment to explore the future of reading as a comprehensive national project. By convening all major stakeholders of the publishing and knowledge ecosystem under one roof, the Fair supports the ongoing shift from only analysing the reading landscape to developing solutions that respond to its rapid transformations. Aligning with this, the ‘Reading Retreat’ facilitates cross-sector dialogue on making reading a part of everyday life, further strengthening the presence of the Arabic language and literary works.”
His Excellency further commended the Ministry’s longstanding efforts to promote reading and develop it as a daily habit. He reaffirmed ALC’s commitment to strengthening the Arabic language’s presence and fostering a love of reading among younger generations, recognising its role in shaping the UAE’s present and future.
His Excellency added: “The UAE ‘National Reading Index 2025′ is a key developmental tool for decoding the UAE’s reading landscape as well as monitoring changes in reading habits and patterns. This enables us to keep pace with an evolving reading landscape and identify areas that require greater focus. Reading is not merely a cognitive activity; it is a fundamental pillar of human development that helps enhance individual capabilities and awareness, preparing them to be active and influential contributors to the development journey.”
H.E. Dr Ali also stated: “We recognise the importance of rapidly advancing technologies, especially digital platforms and artificial intelligence, among others. However, these can negatively impact reading habits. To tackle this, there is a need for integrated efforts among cultural, educational and community institutions to develop initiatives that drive innovation and sustainability, addressing the needs of diverse social segments. At ALC, we view the development of a reading society as a long-term national commitment requiring ongoing integrated efforts. In line with this, we will continue to develop national projects that strengthen the presence of books and reinforce the position of the Arabic language as a core component of our intellectual and civilizational identity, establishing reading as an important cultural value that deepens individuals’ awareness and their ability to anticipate the future.”
The ‘Reading Retreat’ explored 8 main themes – ‘Right to Read’, ‘Enabling Reading in Society’, ‘Reading in the Education System’, ‘Reading in the Work Environment’, ‘Libraries and Reading Materials’, ‘Policies Supporting the Publishing Industry’, ‘Reading Salons and Clubs’, and the ‘UAE National Reading Index’.
The session on the ‘Right to Read’ theme was chaired by H.E. Shatha Al Mulla, Assistant Undersecretary for the National Identity and Arts Sector at the Ministry of Culture, with the participation of representatives from the Ministry of Family, the Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, the Community Development Authority, the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and the Arab Reading Challenge initiative, alongside experts from the Ministry of Education.
The discussions on ‘Enabling Reading in Society’ were led by H
E. Hessa Tahlak, Assistant Undersecretary for People of Determination and Senior Citizens Affairs at the Ministry of Family, with participation from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, the Community Development Authority, the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and the Arab Reading Challenge initiative.
Furthermore, the ‘Reading in the Education System’ theme was chaired by H.E. Amna Al Saleh, Assistant Undersecretary for the Curriculum and Assessment Sector at the Ministry of Education, with participation from the Ministry of Culture, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, the Sharjah Private Education Authority and the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Knowledge, alongside several experts, advisers and teachers. Participants explored the development of curricula and educational systems, the enhancement of reading skills, the development of school libraries, as well as the creation of sustainable programs and plans to encourage reading among students.
The representative of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources led discussions on the ‘Reading in the Work Environment’ theme, with participation from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, as well as directors of legal affairs departments in federal ministries. The discussion explored ways to promote reading in the work environment, including the launch of a model federal reading program and the introduction of institutional performance indicators supporting reading practice.
Discussions on ‘Libraries and Reading Materials’ were led by Mr. Hamad Al Hamiri, Director of the National Library at the National Library and Archives, with participation from Abu Dhabi Public Libraries, Dubai Public Libraries, Sharjah Public Libraries, the Emirates Library and Information Association, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library and the Fikr Foundation.
The session on ‘Policies Supporting the Publishing Industry’ was moderated by H.E. Dr Abdulrahman Al Muaini, Assistant Undersecretary for the Intellectual Property Rights Sector at the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, with participation from the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Finance, the National Media Authority, local departments of economic development, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the Sharjah Book Authority, the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority, the Emirates Publishers Association, the Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association, and the Emirates Intellectual Property Association.
The discussions on the ‘Reading Salons and Clubs’ theme focused on enhancing community initiatives related to embedding a culture of sustainable reading, as well as activating dialogue and knowledge exchange among readers, with participation from relevant entities and institutions. The session on the ‘UAE National Reading Index’ explored the development of tools for measuring social reading habits and the use of the index’s findings for designing future policies and initiatives.
The ‘Reading Retreat’ is designed to build an integrated narrative of the most prominent achievements and qualitative projects implemented by the UAE from 2016 to 2026, activate partnerships between key sectors to develop joint national projects, develop long-term strategic initiatives as part of the ‘National Reading Strategy’ for 2027–2037 and also submit the Strategy to the General Secretariat of the UAE Cabinet.
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair annually hosts government and private events underscoring its pioneering stature as a cultural space where intellectual visions converge and develop into tangible projects, thereby reinforcing the Emirate’s status as an international intellectual and cultural hub.