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29 March 2024

Mohamed receives winners of Sheikh Zayed Book Award

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, with participants of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (Wam)

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By Wam

Culture has been and will remain the key benchmark for the development and progress of nations, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, said while receiving winners of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award (SZBA) 2016 at Al Bahr Palace on Monday.

''We, in the UAE, consider science and culture an integral part of our cultural legacy, development process and building of both human being and an open mind with a confident identity that does not compromise values, originality and heritage,'' Sheikh Mohamed said.

Sheikh Mohamed congratulated winners of the 10th edition of the award, including the Lebanese-born French novelist, Amin Maalouf, who bagged the ‘Cultural Personality of the Year Award’.

He appreciated the role being played by intellectual, literary and cultural personalities for instilling the values of science and knowledge in the community through their intellectual and creative works to which they deserve recognition.

Sheikh Mohamed also thanked guests at the fair, particularly Italian writers, who represented Italy as the guests of honour in this year’s cycle of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF). Their participation, he noted, had allowed Arab readers to learn about the rich cultural and creative work of a country that the UAE has strong bonds of friendship with.

''The ADIBF and the SZBA, along with other cultural events in the country, underscore the recognition of the UAE, led by the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in highlighting the true value both science and knowledge to the community and their vital roles in development of human beings. Theses forums also help build the future through development of thought and awareness so as to cope with transformations and address challenges,'' Sheikh Mohamed said, noting the President's initiative to make 2016 a Year for Reading.

The winners were accompanied by Dr. Ali bin Tamim, the Award's Secretary-General, a delegation from the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF), a number of key intellectual, literary and media figures participating in the 26th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, fair organisers, officials from the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA), as well as a group of Emirati writers.

The winners of the award expressed their delight at visiting the UAE, which they said is celebrating the ‘Year of Reading’ as a landmark to encourage reading and hone literary skills of members of the community with more knowledge - the main driving force for development and cultural and human progress.

They paid tributes to the UAE leadership for encouraging intellects and writers to produce more works.


Mohamed receives members of the Board of Trustees of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on Monday at Al Bahr Palace received members of the Board of Trustees of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies. The members included 19 male and female students of the Programme for Emirati Scholars and Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Managing Director of Al Muwatta Islamic Research Center.

Sheikh Mohamed discussed with scholars and learners the role of the forum in spreading awareness about the Islamic approach, which is based on tolerance, justice and peace, and which rejects bigotry, extremism, violence and sectarian discrimination.

Sheikh Mohamed affirmed that everyone is responsible for presenting a true and sound image of Islam, stressing the importance of exerting more efforts and enhancing collective co-operation so as to serve its noble objectives. He emphasised the vital role that scholars can play in explaining the principles of Islam and its tolerant teachings and to refute allegations of self-proclaimed scholars and scientists who have by their un-Islamic words and acts marred the bright image of the religion, and taken violence, fanaticism and destruction as tools to killing of innocent people and destroying the social, human and cultural fabric of nations.

The meeting also touched on a host of issues concerning Islam and Muslims, as the scholars supplicating to Allah Almighty to rid Muslim countries of terrorist groups and the vulnerable segments from their destructive ideologies, and prayed that peace, goodness and tolerance would prevail among peoples of the region.

The scholars pledged to put more effort into explaining the sound and genuine image of Islam and its call for peaceful co-existence and rejection of hatred and violence. They prayed to Allah to perpetuate security and stability in the UAE.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region; Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler s Representative in the Eastern Region; Sheikh Saif bin Mohammed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation; Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chief of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court; Sheikh Omar bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation; Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan Chairman of the Board of Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care & Special Needs (ZHO); Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, and a number of Sheikhs and senior officials.