The UAE is restoring Beirut’s libraries affected by the port explosion

The Sharjah World Book Capital 2019 Office in the United Arab Emirates undertook the restoration and development of several libraries that were damaged by the Beirut port explosion.

This was carried out under the directives of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Vice President of the International Publishers Association and Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Sharjah, the book capital of the world for 2019, who invited symbols and institutions of the cultural and humanitarian movement in the Arab region and the world to support efforts to reform the cultural face of the Lebanese capital and allocate part of its initiatives to save libraries. , Art galleries, music houses and societies whose businesses have ceased after the explosion.

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi’s initiative targeted 3 public libraries managed by the “Assabeel Society”, which includes the restoration and rehabilitation of the Mono library, improving its internal and external environment, as well as updating the equipment of the Bashura and Jeitawi libraries , in addition to providing institutional support to the Assabeel Society, which was established in 1997 and is considered one of the non-governmental organizations active in supporting public libraries in Lebanon to make them free.

Sheikha Al-Qasimi’s role in announcing the initiative sent a message of solidarity to the Lebanese community, confirming that what they are experiencing is not a difficult circumstance for them alone. Rather, there are millions of Arabs who feel what they are suffering and are with everything they can by their side.

He added: “We hope that local, Arab and international initiatives and efforts will continue to support the return of cultural life in Beirut, and we hope that the humanitarian supporting institutions will give them priority in the restoration and reform projects they lead. Just as there are families. who have lost their homes, there are books, paintings and musical instruments that no longer have their homes and no longer find them. ” Who cares, to complement the message of conscience and love. “

A humanitarian march

In turn, the head of the “Assabeel Association”, the engineer Ziad Boualwan, thanked Sheikha Bodour Al-Qasimi for his humanitarian cultural initiative, and said: “What (Al-Sabeel Association) has set itself a goal that meets with many efforts led by the symbols of the Arab and international cultural movement, and the presence of these types of initiatives. Renew in us the determination and the hope to complete what we aspire to. “