Sharjah has opened its participation as the first-ever Arab Guest of Honour at the Warsaw International Book Fair, marking a milestone in cultural exchange between the UAE and Poland. The fair runs in the Polish capital from 28 to 31 May 2026.
The pavilion
Sharjah delegation is anchored by a 400-square-metre pavilion at the fair, designed to reflect the diversity of the UAE cultural landscape and featuring 21 cultural, academic and media institutions (per The National). The opening tour was led by Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi alongside Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), and was attended by Mohamed Ahmed Al Harbi, UAE Ambassador to Poland; Dr Tomasz Makowski, Director of the National Library of Poland; and Grzegorz Jankowicz, Director of the Polish Book Institute (per Zawya).
The delegation
The Emirati line-up includes 36 writers, poets, academics and artists, joined by 15 Polish participants in cross-cultural programming (per Gulf News). Participating institutions include Al Qasimi Publications, the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah, the University of Sharjah, the American University of Sharjah, the Sharjah Book Authority and the Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre for Gulf Studies, alongside the Emirates Writers Union and the Emirates Publishers Association.
Programme of events
Sharjah hosts 35 cultural events at the fair, including 28 panel discussions, four poetry evenings and three childrens workshops staged across the fairgrounds, the University of Warsaw and the Grochoteka Public Library (per Sharjah24). Eighteen musical performances by the Sharjah National Band are scheduled at the Warsaw National Theatre, extending the programme beyond the fair venue itself.
Why it matters
The Warsaw International Book Fair is the largest book event in Poland and one of the longest-running in Central and Eastern Europe. Sharjahs selection as Guest of Honour, the first Arab city to hold the distinction, follows years of investment by SBA in translation grants, professional programmes and bilateral publishing agreements with European book markets (per Publishing Perspectives). For UAE-based publishers, the pavilion is also a commercial showcase, with rights deals and translation memoranda expected to be signed during the four-day run.
