São Paulo – The emirate of Sharjah is the guest of honor of the 25th São Paulo International Book Biennial, with a large stand (pictured above) at a prime location featuring books, art and music from the United Arab Emirates. The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has translated 40 works by local authors into Brazilian Portuguese especially for the Biennial. The books are on sale to visitors for a symbolic BRL 10.
“The criterion in choosing the books was to bring some of the best that Sharjah literature has to offer, with the most renowned and prize-winning artists in the region and spanning different genres, like tales, poetry, novels and technical books. This way, we can represent the emirate’s culture in the best possible way,” SBA sales executive Faisal Alnabouda said. All of the books have been edited in a simple, similar way, hence the symbolic price tag. Some of the authors signed autographs and presented their works at the Biennial.
Highlights include four autobiographies of Sharjah ruler Sultan Bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, which have been edited to meet higher quality standards. The stand also features items from Al-Qasimi’s personal collection, including Arabic calligraphy and ancient Gulf maps.
Attorney-at-law Rosangela de Souza came from Florianópolis for the Biennial and purchased three books at the Sharjah stand. “I’m very curious about other cultures. I value Arab culture greatly, and I like to learn more and more about the region’s history and folklore,” she said.
Elsewhere in the stand, people can see illustrators Maya Fidawi, from Lebanon, and Rosinha, from Brazil, at work. They are working together on a silent (illustrations-only) children’s book depicting the daily routines of one child in Brazil and one in Sharjah. The book will be released after the Biennial. Their plan is to complete the work by Friday (10) and then have it come out in both countries in a few months, in an effort to promote universal communication.
The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) has its own area within the stand to promote the work of UAE writers and get publishers in touch with them. The EPA is hosting lectures and networking events involving publishing houses in Brazil and the UAE.
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Another area at stand is devoted to showcasing Sharjah’s cultural heritage. Here, Emirati women give visitors henna tattoos. People can also put on typical outfits to take pictures, and talli – an age-old weaving tradition – is also on display.
“It’s important that we show different aspects of Sharjah’s culture: how we dress, how we speak, how we behave. And it’s great to get to know Brazilian people as well, what you think and how you like our culture. You are very curious people, you inquire us about everything. It’s great to be welcomed with such curiosity. You are great,” said Sharifa Hassan Mohamed, the senior executive with the Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council.
This Monday morning and afternoon, the stand featured Arab music performances with singer Taresh Khamis Al-Hashimi, who also plays the lute – a typical Middle Eastern string instrument. Al-Hashimi told ANBA he finds it very important to be here and to complement the book fair with music, a universal language. “I have been invited to represent the musical culture of Sharjah. Our music speaks of the age-old history of our country, our people and the desert. Brazilian people are a very musical people. They have been so welcoming and keenly interested in finding out more about our music, which is different from other Arab music,” he said. According to him, music is the true form whereby peoples communicate.
Fambras
The Federation of Muslim Associations in Brazil (Fambras) also has a stand at the São Paulo International Book Biennial. Its goal is to promote Islamic culture in a playful way, with interactions designed for children and young people. The stand took its cue from the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey: it features images of Muslim inventors who changed the world, like Fátima Al-Fihri, the Tunisian woman who established the world’s first university in Fez, Morocco, 859; and Mariam Al Ljliya, the Syrian scientist, mathematician and astronomer who created the astrolabe, which sailors relied on for orientation, in the 10th century. The stand is also giving away the comic book Khalil, which tells the story of a Muslim boy, in a bid to demystify the religion for young Brazilian readers.
The São Paulo International Book Biennial will continue until August 12 at Anhembi Convention Center, on Avenida Olavo Fontoura, 1,209, São Paulo.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
