Within Sharjah International Book Fair 2011 in its thirtieth session, a massive attendance is witnessed on the children section which is set at the entrance of the exhibition, not only by children, but also by the higher age groups which comes in support of parents for their children in choosing books which is specialized this year by introducing new technical means for assistance.
The importance of the exhibition comes from evoking the importance of the paper book in the middle of intense competition between companies putting their e-books products in the market. Participants of the exhibition were unanimous that the current session is one of a kind in its history since its 1st launch thirty years ago, both in terms of turnout, or size and nature of participants and their role in enriching and boosting the cultural process in the region.
The visitors expressed great admiration for the books included in the display racks, as it allows them to learn about the latest cultural developments and the innovative teaching methods related to the children field. The exhibition excellence is highlighted in its creation for an urgent state to offer children a chance to relief from the electronic momentum that surrounds them on every side, and give them a coexistence atmosphere with the book, that despite all this development which we live is still the most important means of education.
Furthermore, the main attraction for parents was the scientific, educational and Islamic books, as well as methods of raising children books, and English teaching books. Moreover, the coordination & displaying techniques used played a vital role in attracting visitors and providing access to multiple addresses easily.
In this occasion, Sameh Zayan a visitor from Egypt said: “My visit to Sharjah International Book Fair became an annual practice I am keen to keep up with along with my family, especially the children’s corner due to its wealth in creativity and excellence year after year. I believe that some of the titles for this year are worth to be kept in family library for its essential impact in shaping the personality of the child and giving him a cultural touch in line with his age. “
Moreover, Takdees another visitor from Ras Al Khaimah said: “Sharjah International Book Fair was able to illustrate unique features of its own over the thirty past years, and took a foothold on the map of international prestigious book exhibitions till it became the destination of art and culture lovers, emphasizing that the great interest in children issues and their care affairs was one of the attributes that enriched its success and glory.
Another audience feedback was Faiza from Jordan who advised parents to visit the exhibition, especially the children’s section where she noticed the enrichment of the Arab Child Library which can support their efforts in raising their children and teaching them proper education benefiting from the experience & theories of psychologists and educational scientists, which lay between the pages of the books displayed.
It should be noted that the management of the current session has struggled to devote wide exhibition space, in line with the size and participation rate, which formed the dominant feature of this year, superior to the previous sessions by the testimony of visitors and exhibitors, who demanded to extend the exhibition’s time an additional hour, reflecting the size of the huge turnout.
Seeing that the Children’s Library had the prominent presence at this session, the organizers deliberately focused on partial interactive participation, which aims to attract children and pull their attention through the drawing and arts that interests them.
It is noteworthy that the activities of the Sharjah International Book Fair run from November 16 until November 26, 2011 at Sharjah Expo Centre.
