Sharjah: The first phase of the "Knowledge without Borders" free book project is to begin on Thursday.
The Government of Sharjah officially launched the project, which will ensure every single Emirati family is provided with a library of 50 Arabic books.
The year-long project, dubbed "Knowledge without Borders," will be carried out in several phases to make sure all areas of Sharjah are covered.
"We face challenges that influence our values, customs and traditions, that obliged us to increase the knowledge base for the community members, which would in return preserve our Islamic and Arabic identity and language," said Marwan Jasem Al Sarkal, Deputy Head of the Organising Committee of the project.
The first book distribution drive will start on Wednesday at Shais village along the East Coast, where eight families will receive their book consignment. The occasion will also be celebrated with several cultural and edutainment activities.
The project, headed by Shaikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Vice-Chairperson of Sharjah Ladies Club, aims to increase the general knowledge of local community members, especially children, in order to enforce culture and re-establish national identity.
"Up to 24,000 Emirati families would benefit from this project, which is expected to be completed by the end of next year or the beginning of 2010", Al Sarkal noted.
He pointed out that all the distributed books are brand new and that the project is not open to book donations from residents.
A senior member of the distribution committee said the project was based on intensive studies verifying the number of families in Sharjah, their educational status and age categories in order to determine the means of book distribution.
"The project will be issuing 50 books from different genres for each family that include religious books, scientific books, novels and stories," said Salha Gabesh, Member of the Book Selection and Distribution Committee, and Cultural Consultant at the Family Supreme Council.
What do you think of this debate of books vs computers? Will this initiative encourage children to take up reading? Or have computers won the battle?
By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Staff Reporter