Al Ain: Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region, the Al Ain Book Festival 2025 launches tomorrow at Al Ain Square – Hazza bin Zayed Stadium and a number of key cultural venues across the city, offering a weeklong agenda running from 24 to 30 November.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the Festival presents visitors with a comprehensive programme of cultural, knowledge-based, and community events, designed to strengthen Al Ain’s status as a national hub for literary creativity and knowledge exchange.

This year’s edition features broad participation from more than 220 publishers and exhibitors, showcasing over 100,000 titles, in line with the ALC’s vision to promote the Arabic language, encourage reading, and expand the base of Emirati creatives. The programme offers more than 200 events, including literary and knowledge sessions, cultural dialogues, performances, heritage-focused and artistic activities, and children’s programmes, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s commitment to supporting the cultural movement and embedding knowledge in daily life.

Moreover, Qasr Al Muwaiji will host the fourth edition of ‘Poetry Nights: The Sung Word’ over the course of eight evenings, featuring leading Emirati and Gulf poets. The programme will honour three eminent figures of Emirati folk poetry: the late Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the late Sheikh Dr Hazza bin Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the late Hamad bin Suhail Al Ketbi, in recognition of their contributions to preserving the national poetic memory and documenting the local environment.

The Festival continues to champion young talent with the addition of the ‘Poets of the Future’ evening, alongside the ‘Poetry and Society’ session. Additionally, institutions and community majalis from across Al Ain will organise sessions addressing national heritage, identity, and youth empowerment.

New highlights this year include a range of interactive initiatives, most notably Flavourful Nights at Al Ain Square – Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, and ‘On the Path of Knowledge, We Gather’, organised in collaboration with Al Ain Sports and Cultural Club. The new activities aim to encourage the community to embrace a lifestyle that brings culture and health together.‬‬

The agenda also includes the Educational Programme, which offers dozens of scientific and theatrical activities, contests, and art workshops for children and families, along with dedicated events for People of Determination. Meanwhile, the "Educational Roadshow" initiative is being expanded to include schools and universities across the city, introducing students to the Festival’s mission and its role in building an informed society of avid readers.

With this year’s edition, Al Ain Book Festival continues to strengthen its standing as a platform that honours literary creativity. A special ceremony is held to celebrate the winners of the Kanz Al Jeel Award, in recognition of their contributions to the poetic and literary landscape. The award acknowledges their efforts to reinforce aesthetic values in contemporary Emirati literature and showcase the beauty of the national poem in a creative space that brings generations together.