His Excellency Hussein bin Ibrahim Al Hamadi, the UAE Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, has praised the success of the UAE's participation as Guest of Honour at the 32nd Beijing International Book Fair 2026, affirming that the participation reflected the country's growing stature on the international cultural scene and contributed to building bridges of dialogue and cultural exchange between the UAE and China.
This came during a gala dinner he hosted in honour of the Emirati entities, institutions, writers, publishers, and creatives taking part in the UAE's Guest of Honour programme at the fair, attended by representatives of the cultural, media, and academic institutions involved.
His Excellency affirmed that the country's participation in the fair embodied the vision of the wise leadership in establishing culture as a bridge for civilisational communication between peoples, and as a key pillar for strengthening international partnerships built on knowledge and mutual understanding. He noted that the turnout and engagement witnessed at the events reflected growing interest in Emirati culture and its developmental and cultural experience.
He said that the UAE's selection as Guest of Honour reflects the depth of UAE-China relations and the continuous development they are witnessing across various fields, particularly cultural and knowledge-based ones, within the framework of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two friendly countries.
The 'Emirati House', which served as the main platform for UAE participation at the fair, featured a diverse programme of cultural, intellectual, literary, and heritage events through which national institutions showcased the features of the Emirati cultural scene and its experience in supporting publishing, translation, and creative industries, alongside highlighting elements of Emirati heritage and promoting cultural exchange with the People's Republic of China.
During the occasion, His Excellency the Ambassador honoured the participating entities and institutions in appreciation of their contributions to the success of the UAE's Guest of Honour participation at the fair, and their role in projecting the national cultural identity and reinforcing its presence on the international cultural stage.
The participating UAE delegation included representatives from a number of cultural, media, academic, and national entities, as well as Emirati creatives and heritage groups.
The UAE today concludes its participation as Guest of Honour at the 32nd Beijing International Book Fair 2026, after five days of cultural and knowledge events that reflected the richness of the Emirati cultural scene and contributed to enhancing civilisational dialogue and knowledge exchange between the two countries, cementing the UAE's position as an effective cultural partner at the international level.
On another front, the Emirates Publishers Association used the Beijing International Book Fair 2026 as a new platform to enhance the standing of Emirati publishing globally, capitalising on the momentum provided by the UAE's participation as Guest of Honour at the current edition of the fair.
Through this participation, the Association continued to extend bridges of knowledge cooperation with the Chinese publishing sector and to consolidate the presence of Emirati publishers in one of the most dynamic and influential cultural markets on the international scene.
The Association registered a qualitative presence at the fair through a dedicated pavilion hosting a selection of Emirati publishers and cultural institutions, alongside a special corner within the Emirati pavilion, 'Emirati House', organised by the UAE Embassy in the People's Republic of China in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture.
Through this participation, the Association carried forward an advanced model of the Emirati publishing industry and a strategic vision aimed at building sustainable partnerships with Chinese publishers and cultural institutions, in a way that supports the spread of Emirati and Arabic content in global markets.
Participating in the Association's delegation were: Ghaf Publishing House, Ajyal Publishing House, Kids Talents Book Trading, Thaqafa Publishing House, and the Sharjah Directorate of Antiquities.
This diverse presence lent the UAE's participation a qualitative dimension reflecting the variety of the Emirati cultural and creative scene, the maturity of the publishing sector in the country, and its ability to engage with different global cultural markets and participate actively in international professional activity.
The participation agenda included a professional event bringing together Emirati and Chinese publishers in direct meetings dedicated to exploring cooperation opportunities, forging partnerships, and exchanging publishing rights, opening the way for building sustainable professional relationships and enhancing the presence of Emirati and Arabic content in the Chinese market. In this regard, Rashed Al Kous, Executive Director of the Emirates Publishers Association, said: "Our participation in the Beijing International Book Fair carries exceptional importance given the UAE's role as Guest of Honour, as this occasion represented a high-level platform for showcasing Emirati cultural achievement and strengthening the presence of the Emirati publisher in one of the largest knowledge environments in the world."
He expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to the UAE Embassy in Beijing and the Ministry of Culture for their generous support in allocating a platform for the Association and Emirati publishers within the Emirati House, noting that this support embodies the UAE's commitment to empowering the publishing sector and enhancing the standing of Emirati culture on the global stage.