Monthly to Feature Reviews of Books from Around the World

Dubai: 10 November, 2007 - The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation today announced a partnership with Cairo-based magazine ‘Wojhat Nazar’ to produce a specialized monthly publication in Arabic, featuring reviews of books published in various languages worldwide. The first issue will appear in three months.

The agreement was signed by His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, and Mr. Ayman Al Sayyad, Editor in Chief of 'Wojhat Nazar’.

The new publication is second project to be implemented among a series of strategic initiatives announced by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai at the Knowledge Conference in Dubai late last month.

Mohammed Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, said: “Through this partnership, we seek to create an endeavour that brings the international literary community together and effectively bridges the knowledge gap. This publication will also provide Arab readers with access to latest works in the publishing world, raise their awareness on global literary standards and serve as a window to the world’s diverse cultures and way of life.”

The Foundation will appoint an advisory board including prominent Arab intellectuals, an editor-in-chief and an editorial committee to oversee the production of the magazine. The committee will meet alternatively in Cairo and Dubai.

The new publication has been granted copyright permission to produce and distribute any material published in ‘Wojhat Nazar’. It will also invite Arab publishers to share their latest publications with the new magazine, which will reserve the right to publish and translate selected extracts from these works.

Earlier this month, The Foundation announced a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme to promote creative knowledge generation. The agreement will mark the compilation of the ‘Arab Knowledge Report’, on the status of knowledge in the Arab world.

Launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, earlier this year with an endowment of US$10 billion, the Foundation seeks to build an intellectual infrastructure by investing in human and knowledge development in the Arab world.