The Fujairah Government Media Office has published a comprehensive cultural documentary book titled Daw' Thaqafa... Sawt Ma'rifa (Light of Culture... Voice of Knowledge), chronicling the cultural and intellectual renaissance experienced by the emirate of Fujairah during the period from 2007 to 2026. This era coincided with Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi's assumption of the Crown Princeship of the emirate, and was marked by an integrated cultural vision and sustained support for knowledge projects and initiatives that have helped cement Fujairah's place on the cultural and creative map of the United Arab Emirates and the Arab world.
The book spans 160 pages and has been published in both Arabic and English, with its content fully translated to make it accessible to readers, researchers, and those interested in cultural affairs both within the UAE and abroad, and to strengthen the international presence of Fujairah's cultural experience.
The publication reviews the most prominent cultural achievements, institutions, and initiatives that have contributed to building a knowledge society, by documenting the journey of cultural, media, and educational institutions, as well as the intellectual, literary, and artistic events that Fujairah has hosted over nearly two decades.
It also tracks the qualitative transformations witnessed by the cultural sector and their impact on societal development, the reinforcement of national identity, and openness to diverse human cultures.
The book opens with documentation of an exclusive interview given by Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, during the annual meetings of the UAE government, in which he outlined the key features of the cultural and social phase Fujairah is experiencing, and the working mechanisms of the various institutions that have formed an integrated system contributing to the construction of a broad and comprehensive knowledge project.
The book also addresses the pivotal role played by cultural institutions in the emirate, foremost among them the Fujairah Authority for Culture and Media, alongside specialised cultural initiatives, publishing houses, libraries, and intellectual forums that have enriched the cultural scene locally and regionally.
It further documents the evolution of the cultural landscape, which has seen the birth of qualitative institutions and projects that have left a clear mark on both the Arab and international stages, among them the Fujairah Academy of Fine Arts, the Badr Festival, the Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi Council, the House of Philosophy, the Fujairah School of Calligraphy and Ornamentation, the Arabic Poetry House, the Fujairah International Book Fair for Children, and the Fujairah Philharmonic Orchestra, in addition to numerous other initiatives and programmes.
In his foreword to the book, Mohammed Saeed Al Dhanhani, Director of the Amiri Diwan in Fujairah, affirmed that the features of Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi's cultural project were shaped through deep thought, knowledge, and extensive feasibility study, making it the fruit of a leadership awareness that sees culture as the fulcrum from which every crossing towards the future begins.
He added: "Over the past 20 years, and under the directives of Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah, the emirate has witnessed a distinctly defined cultural renaissance — a renaissance built not on rhetorical display or fleeting celebrations, but on the establishment of institutions, the creation of programmes, the nurturing of talents, and the construction of collective awareness on solid ground. This renaissance has been nothing less than an extension of the state's approach, which has made culture an authentic pillar of its civilisational journey; yet Fujairah has its own distinctiveness, which has shaped its presence and placed it today in an inspiring position in both the Emirati and Arab cultural scenes alike."
The Fujairah Government Media Office noted that the book Daw' Thaqafa... Sawt Ma'rifa represents an important documentary reference, recording a pivotal phase in the history of cultural development in the emirate, and reflecting the strategic vision that has made culture and knowledge two fundamental pillars of the sustainable development journey. It affirmed that the publication comes as a celebration of an accumulated cultural achievement that has helped cement Fujairah's status as a centre for culture and the arts, and a platform for civilisational dialogue and human creativity.
The book contains a wide collection of photographs, documents, and cultural archives documenting the most prominent cultural and intellectual milestones during the years 2007–2026, presenting an integrated narrative of the journey of the institutions and initiatives that have contributed to building the emirate's cultural landscape.