HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Chairman of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), received and welcomed HE Liselott Andersson, Ambassador of Sweden to the UAE, at the 41^st Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) and held discussions to explore opportunities to strengthen cultural cooperation and exchange between the emirate and cities in Sweden.

During the Ambassador’s visit to Sharjah, the two sides stressed the importance of culture in strengthening cooperation and communication, and forging close bonds between nations.

SBA Chairman HE Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri said: “Sharjah’s emphasis on cross-cultural collaboration as a tool to strengthen bonds and advance collaboration with various cultures and countries worldwide is in line with the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed AlQasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The values instilled by literature and arts in communities are hard to eradicate. Therefore, we are keen on building bridges between various countries around the world through knowledge, arts, and books as these have a sustainable impact on communities.”

Al Ameri further briefed the Swedish Ambassador on SBA’s achievements, including organising the largest book fair in the world, which is witnessing a massive footfall of visitors from across nationalities in its ongoing 41st edition. The Chairman also briefed the Ambassador on the strengths and diversity of the emirate’s arts and cultural landscape and SBA’s unwavering efforts to advance the publishing sector regionally and internationally.

For her part, HE Liselott Andersson said: “I am pleased with the Swedish participation in the annual book fair. I believe that SIBF is a great platform that brings the world together and is one of the most international ‘places’ that I have ever visited!”

The Swedish Ambassador expressed her wish to enhance cooperation between Swedish institutions and the SBA, including the Nobel Foundation, a private Swedish institution managing the Nobel Prizes, noting that Tanzanian novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah, winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature, was hosted at SIBF in 2021.