Warsaw International Book Fair 2026: Sharjah to showcase UAE children’s literature
The UAE Board on Books for Young People will host sessions on visual storytelling, folk tales and reading therapy as part of Sharjah’s guest-of-honour programme in Poland.
Sharjah: The United Arab Emirates Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) will participate in the Warsaw International Book Fair 2026, held from 28th to 31st May in the Polish capital, as part of Sharjah's cultural programme as guest of honour under the theme "Two Civilisations, One Language of Letters".
The participation reflects the growing international presence of the UAE's cultural sector and highlights Sharjah's efforts in supporting publishing and initiatives dedicated to children and young adults.
UAEBBY will present a series of panel discussions exploring the relationship between storytelling, art, identity and culture, while highlighting experiences in wordless books and visual storytelling.
The council's pavilion will also showcase initiatives supporting Arabic children's literature, creators, illustrators and publishers, while reinforcing the role of books in promoting knowledge and awareness among younger generations.
On 29th May, the council will host a session titled "The power of silence, when images tell the story" at the Sharjah pavilion. The discussion will focus on wordless books and how visual storytelling transcends linguistic and cultural barriers, enabling children from different backgrounds to engage with stories through imagination and imagery.
The session will also highlight the council's efforts to promote this literary genre internationally due to its human-centred values and accessibility for children across diverse environments.
On 31st May, UAEBBY will organise two additional sessions. The first, "Reimagining folk tales, when illustration becomes cultural dialogue", will examine how contemporary visual arts reinterpret folk narratives and transform illustration into a platform for cultural exchange and mutual understanding.
The second session, "Stories that heal, reading therapy in children's literature", will explore the role of storytelling in supporting children's and young adults' mental wellbeing, emotional resilience and understanding of themes such as identity, belonging, fear and loss.
Maha Al Aqroubi, Chair of UAEBBY, said, "Through our participation in the Warsaw International Book Fair 2026, we aim to present an experience that reflects our belief in the power of storytelling to build bridges between peoples and cultures."
She added that children's literature has evolved into a tool for human connection, cultural dialogue and emotional wellbeing, while also strengthening the international presence of Arabic literature.
The council will also showcase a curated selection of wordless books in collaboration with the International Board on Books for Young People. The books are designed to support refugee and migrant children by overcoming language barriers through visual storytelling.
The pavilion will further feature winning titles from the latest edition of the International Award for Arabic Children's Literature and provide information on participation criteria for the award's 18th edition.
UAEBBY's participation forms part of broader initiatives aimed at promoting reading culture and strengthening international cooperation in children's literature, while reinforcing Sharjah's cultural vision based on dialogue, creativity and knowledge exchange.