Dubai: 12 October, 2008 – The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation today announced it will mark its debut participation at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2008, the world’s largest in terms of the number of publishing companies represented, through honouring renowned German and Arab writers, hosting book review sessions, and releasing Arabic editions of translated books.

Led by Yasser Hareb, Acting CEO, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, the Foundation’s delegation will participate at the 60th edition of the five-day Frankfurt Book Fair from 15 – 19 October, and will be showcasing its different programmes under the Culture Sector.

Hareb said: “The Foundation is not only keen to feature the wealth of Arab culture to an international audience, but also encourage dialogue between Arab intellectuals and their global peers. Through the Frankfurt Fair, we hope to send out a message to the entire world about the strategic need to explore and facilitate new avenues of interaction between East and West.

“We shall leverage our participation at the Fair to foster ties with key publishing industry leaders and prominent intellectuals to explore new grounds for building cultural bridges.” 

A selection of renowned German and Arab writers will be honoured by the Foundation and invited to share their experiences of interaction with the Arab world.

Among other leading German writers to be celebrated by the Foundation, Michael Kruger who will talk about his latest novel ’Turiner Komodie‘. The Foundation will also organise the first meeting between German writer Martin Walser and Arabic writer Samir Grees who has translated Walser’s novel ’Ein Liebender Mann‘ (A Lover Man) into Arabic.

At another event to be hosted by the Foundation, German author Adolf Muschg will celebrate the first edition of the Arabic translation of three of his books at a workshop to be hosted by the Foundation on 17 October. During the event, Muschg will discuss the importance of translation as a vital tool for enhancing global understanding.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation will also organise a Book Presentation review that will feature ’Mohammed‘ by Tilman Nagel. The event will mark the release of the first Arabic edition of the book prepared by Arab philosopher and translator Radwan Al Sayed.