The 2026 Warsaw International Book Fair, which will take place from 28 to 31 May at PGE Narodowy Stadium, welcomes the Emirate of Sharjah as Guest of Honour (GoH). Readers as well as cultural enthusiasts will enjoy a close encounter with the literature and culture of Sharjah and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as the emirate’s GoH programme paves the way for intercultural understanding and dialogue through words.
The Guest of Honour programme is led by Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), a leading institution established under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi. Both visionary leaders will visit Warsaw alongside a delegation of UAE’s celebrated writers and creators.
Sharjah’s GoH programme motto ‘Two civilizations. One language of letters’ highlights the visual similarities and a shared sense between Polish and Arabic, and celebrates the common grounds and connections between the two cultures despite the seeming differences that meet the eye. The motto’s design beautifully illustrates this idea by showcasing letters from the two cultures that stand side by side to convey one unified message. This resemblance creates a link between them, as if forming a ‘story’ that brings them together. The concept highlights that some letters from both civilizations share visual similarities, reflecting a cultural connection and transforming the letters into a shared language that unites them.
Sharjah spared no effort to make a mark on this year’s Warsaw International Book Fair, given the breadth and depth of its literary and cultural agenda and the impressive list of institutions and artists invited to attend.
The audience can look forward to meeting a group of distinguished personalities representing various generations and movements of contemporary Emirati literature: poets, scholars, and cultural figures whose work, while deeply rooted in tradition, lends itself to international dialogue. Guest of Honour delegation will include Dr. Sultan Al-Ameemi – an Emirati critic, poet, researcher and storyteller; the president of Emirates Writers Union and the Director of Arabic Poetry Academy; author of novels, short stories, and numerous research papers.
Warsaw will also host Dr. Hind Al-Mashmoum, a writer and researcher in Arabic language and literature who combines academic work with literary criticism and insights on language and cultural identity. Contemporary Emirati poetry will be represented by Khulood Al-Mualla, a poet whose work, permeated by Sufism, has been translated into many languages; and by Kaltham Abdullah, a poet and writer who blends humanism with the themes of memory, heritage and women’s issues. Some of the guests are well-known for their media presence and prominent public engagement, including Dhaen Shaheen Al-Nuaimi, a journalist, poet, novelist and former long-standing Editor-in-Chief of ‘Al Bayan’ newspaper, and Salha Ghabish, a poet, writer and cultural activist who launched and supervised many literary and community initiatives. Abdulrahman Al-Hemeiri (crowned ‘Prince of Poets’), Nadia Al-Najjar (author of novels, short stories, and children’s literature) and Dr. Habib Ghuloom (academic and theatre artist, director, and drama researcher) have successfully combined literary achievements with other lines of work. The Emirati delegation is complete with Dr. Abdul Hakim Al-Zubaidi, a poet, researcher and author of literary studies, and Sheikha Al-Mutairi, a poet, researcher and cultural moderator recognized with several awards for poetry.
The guests will debate topics of artistic and intellectual developments in contemporary literature; the evolution of women’s stories; the diversity of human experiences in fiction; questions of identity, memory and modernity. Another highlight is a selection of poetry readings with shared insights from the poetic traditions of the two cultures. Thanks to partnership between the SBA and the organisers of Warsaw International Book Fair, Emirati guests will often share the stage with Polish writers, academics and moderators, including Ałbena Grabowska, Barbara Kosmowska, Grażyna Plebanek, Wit Szostak and Sebastian Gadomski, to name but a few. The following themes are on the agenda: ‘Women’s Stories in Emirati and Polish Literature’ (with Grażyna Plebanek and Dr Hind Al-Mashmoum); ‘The Diversity of Human Experiences in Emirati and Polish Fiction’ (with Wit Szostak and Dhaen Shaheen Al-Naimi); ‘The Art of Storytelling through Narrative Experiences from the UAE and Poland’ (with Ałbena Grabowska and Sheikha Al-Mutairi); ‘Children’s Literature in the United Arab Emirates and Poland: Between Innovation and Renewal’ (with Barbara Kosmowska and Nadia Al-Najjar); ‘Emirati and Polish Theatre: An Overview of its Foundations and Future Prospects’ (with Sebastian Gadomski and Dr Habib Ghuloum). The sessions will be moderated by Jerzy Kisielewski, Szymon Kloska, Marta Korycka and Blanka Katarzyna Dżugaj.
There will be events for the youngest members of the audience as well as discussions on children’s literature, new forms of Young Adult (YA) storytelling and the needs of young readers. Most events can be accessed directly at the fair venue, but some academic sessions with Emirati and Polish artists and researchers will be held at the University of Warsaw. They are co-organised by the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the Faculty of Asian and African Cultures and centred on topics such as literary translation, intercultural dialogue, and the role of literature and theatre in the contemporary world. With children in mind, special workshops will be set up at one of Warsaw’s libraries.
The 400-square-metre Guest of Honour pavilion (No 1/D11 ) will be populated with a line-up of 21 leading cultural, academic, and publishing institutions from Sharjah, representing the world of literature, education, media, and cultural heritage, including the Al Qasimi Publications, specialised in publishing the workpieces of Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi; the Arabic Language Academy in Sharjah (ALA), dedicated to serving and promoting the Arabic language; and two universities: the University of Sharjah (UoS) and the American University of Sharjah (AUS) with AUS Press, which connect academia and knowledge seekers around the world. The Emirati book market will be represented by Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), Emirates Writers Union, Emirates Publishers Association (EPA), Emirates Library and Information Association (ELIA), the House of Wisdom in Sharjah, Emirates Reprographic Rights Management Association (ERRA), Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, Sharjah Literary Agency and the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY). Kalimat Group and Kalimat Foundation will promote children’s rights in the context of readership and access to books, and PublisHer platform will present the ideas for greater recognition and advancement of women in the publishing industry. The list of entities responsible for bringing Sharjah’s national heritage and cultural identity to Warsaw would not be complete without the Department of Culture in Sharjah, Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi Centre for Gulf Studies, the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, the Sharjah Archaeology Authority and the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority.
The exhibition space will double up as the stage for authors, experts, and representatives of cultural and academic institutions; a book-signing area; and an area for industry meetings and networking events for book market professionals. There will be access to information about literary translation support programmes and opportunities for collaboration with Emirati authors, publishers, and cultural institutions.
As an additional performative arts attraction, the Sharjah National Band has been invited with a programme of traditional Emirati music pieces and songs. The artists will give outdoor performances throughout Warsaw. A detailed agenda of literary, artistic and professional events will soon be posted on the website of the Warsaw International Book Fair.
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