The United Arab Emirates has concluded its exceptional participation as guest of honour at the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair, which was held from 17 to 21 June at the China National Convention Centre in Beijing. The fair drew more than 1,700 exhibitors from 82 countries and attracted over 300,000 visitors.
The "UAE House" formed the centrepiece of the Emirati presence, offering visitors a comprehensive cultural experience that showcased Emirati literature, the publishing industry, national heritage, innovation, and the cultural and creative industries.
The Emirati cultural scene was highlighted through the participation of 30 UAE exhibitors displaying more than 469 publications, reinforcing the UAE's standing as a global hub for culture, creativity, and knowledge exchange.
The UAE pavilion hosted more than 140 diverse cultural events, encompassing the arts of Al Ayala, Al Shailah, henna, the coffee house, Al Sadu, and Emirati cuisine, in addition to 23 dialogue sessions, the launch of 2 new books, 2 book-signing ceremonies, artistic performances, workshops, and interactive experiences that reflected the diversity of the UAE's cultural scene and highlighted the country's growing contribution to enriching global cultural dialogue.
The UAE's participation as guest of honour at the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair represents a new milestone in the growing cultural partnership between the UAE and the People's Republic of China, laying the foundations for new partnerships in publishing, education, translation, innovation, and the creative industries.
Among the highlights of the UAE's participation was the award of China's Special Book Award in its 19th edition to Dr Mohamed Moussa Mohamed bin Huwayden, Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at UAE University, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to promoting academic, cultural, and intellectual exchange between China and the Arab world.
The children's corner in the "UAE House" drew considerable interest, attracting more than 2,000 children and their families over the course of the fair. More than 75 storytelling sessions were held alongside a variety of educational and interactive activities that helped foster a reading culture among younger generations and introduced them to the richness of Emirati culture.
The Emirati cultural experience extended beyond the fair's halls through Al Ayala performances staged at 4 prominent commercial venues in Beijing, attracting thousands of visitors and introducing Chinese audiences to one of the UAE's most prominent elements of intangible cultural heritage.
Opinion surveys showed that 98% of "UAE House" visitors expressed a positive impression of the experience, while 95.6% confirmed that the participation had enhanced their knowledge of the UAE and its culture.
Separately, the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat organised, on the sidelines of its participation in the Beijing International Book Fair, a lecture entitled "The Family in the Thought of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, and its Role in Building the Individual", delivered by Sheikha Al Shamsi, a researcher at the Authority.
The lecture reviewed the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, in consolidating family values and nurturing the individual, affirming the importance of the family in raising generations, strengthening national identity, and promoting social cohesion.
The Trends Group, represented by Trends Research and Advisory and Trends Global, participated in the 32nd edition of the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair with more than 450 peer-reviewed research and academic publications, within the "UAE House" pavilion.
The Trends pavilion attracted the interest of senior officials, diplomats, and researchers attending the fair, who reviewed the group's publications and research and advisory initiatives, praising its role in knowledge production and in anticipating global transformations.
In this context, the Trends delegation held a meeting with Peking University, one of the world's most prestigious universities, to explore prospects for academic cooperation in the fields of regional and international studies, Arab-Chinese relations, researcher exchange, and the organisation of joint training programmes.
The Trends Group also discussed with the Arabic Language College at Beijing Foreign Studies University, during a joint dialogue session, ways to strengthen cooperation in research projects, boost the translation movement between Arabic and Chinese, and launch specialised training programmes to support young researchers and enhance their knowledge capabilities.
The Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism Heritage organised a specialised dialogue session entitled "The Role of Cultural Institutions in Preserving and Promoting Heritage: A Reading of the Chinese and Emirati Experiences", as part of its participation in the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair.
The session was attended by Abdullah Bati Al Qubaisi, Executive Director of the Heritage Awareness and Knowledge Sector at the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority; Shi Yuwen, Second Inspector of the Department of International Affairs at China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism; and Ma Shengde, Adviser to the Chinese Ministry of Culture and an expert in the protection of intangible cultural heritage in the People's Republic of China.