28-31 May 2026
PGE Narodowy Stadium

Programme sessions at the Warsaw International Book Fair
28–31 May 2026, PGE Narodowy

2:00pm–2:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Riversides
(Poetry Readings)
In this selection of Emirati and Polish poetry readings, Arabic and Polish languages intermingle, and their artistic endeavours meet on the shores of poetry. These poetry readings celebrate the beauty of human connection through poetry, which binds us together despite our differences.
Participants:

Khulood Al Mualla
Urszula Morga
Moderator: Sheikha Al-Mutairi

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

3:00pm–3:50pm | Main Stage
Arabic and Polish Literary Exchange: A Bidirectional History
This session explores the deep-rooted history of Arabic studies in Poland and the evolving landscape of literary translation. The speakers will discuss the contributions of Polish Orientalists, the reception of Polish works in the Arab world, and the growing academic interest in Emirati and Gulf literature within Poland.
Participants:

Dr. Sultan Al Amimi
Prof. Dr. Barbara Michalak

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority

3:00pm–3:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
The Publishing Industry: A Soft Power Tool That Fosters Cultural Diplomacy
In this seminar, we will explore the role of the publishing industry as an effective soft power tool that fosters cultural diplomacy. Books, translation, and knowledge exchanges are key tools that shape the way nations are perceived on the international stage. Such tools foster dialogue and build mutual understanding.
Participants:

Amira Boukadra

Organiser: Nasher News

4:00pm–4:50pm | Main Stage
Emirati and Polish Theatre: An Overview of its Foundations and Future Prospects
In this seminar, we will be focusing on the current state of theatre in both Poland and the United Arab Emirates. We will be discussing the challenges faced by the world of theatre in the context of digital transformation and contemporary life, which is accelerating at a rapid pace. We will also show that people today still need to go to the theatre, which is a space where they can reflect, exchange views, and build awareness.
Participants:

Dr. Habib Ghuloum AlAttar
Dr. Sebastian Gadomski

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

4:00pm–4:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Beyond the Book: What’s Next for the Publishing Industry?
As the world undergoes profound transformations at a rapid pace, the book has ceased to be the only medium used to disseminate knowledge and ideas. Instead, it has become part of a broader ecosystem that includes digital platforms, where readers have developed new reading habits.
In this session, we will discover how the concept of “book”, as well as the role of publishers, has changed. We will be discussing how to preserve the literary value of books in a fast-changing world. Finally, we will be analysing the future of the publishing industry, which faces cultural challenges and offers new opportunities at the same time.
Participants:

Amira Boukadra
Ali Al-Shaali
Latifa Al-Haj

Organiser: Emirates Publishers Association

5:00pm–5:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Echoes
(Poetry Readings)
In this Emirati-Polish poetry gathering, poets do not seek perfect equivalents; instead, they choose words which bear the same echoes. Arabic and Polish languages become one single voice accessible to all.
Participants:

Dr. Abdul Hakim Al-Zubaidi
Jacek Podsiadło
Moderator: Anna Roży

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

11:00am–11:45am | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Books and Libraries: A Journey
During this panel discussion, we will explore the book industry by analysing its framework: creation, publication and release in libraries. We will also highlight the role of libraries, which make knowledge available, improve accessibility, and support intellectual thought.
Participants:

Fahad Al-Mamari
Moderator: Sheikha Al-Mutairi

Organiser: Emirates Library and Information Association

11:00am–11:45am | Londyn A Hall
Understanding the UAE Publishing Market
Key trends, metadata insight, and opportunities for international collaboration.
Participants:

Eman Thani Alhalyan
Moderator: Piotr Dobrołęcki

Organiser: Emirates Publishers Association, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

12:00pm–12:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
The American University of Sharjah Press
An introduction to the American University of Sharjah Press, which will be officially launched at the 2026 Sharjah International Book Fair and will make its first appearance during the 2026 Warsaw International Book Fair.
During this session, the publishing house will present upcoming publications and discuss the challenges and opportunities that come with establishing a university press. We will also deal with the role of publishers in the broader landscape of academic publishing. One of their key roles is to promote translation into and from Arabic and English, as well as to promote knowledge on both a regional and global scale.
Participants:

Jihan Muharram
Dr Nuha Alshaar
Moderator: Fatima Al Mugarrab

Organiser: American University of Sharjah

1:00pm–1:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
How Are Publishers Reinventing Themselves?
For a publisher, success involves more than publishing good-quality titles; it also means developing flexible business models that are resilient to market changes.
This session focuses primarily on the revolution within publishing houses, starting from its most practical aspects: building new value chains, exploring alternative distribution channels and offering products that push the boundaries of the traditional book format. We will examine how publishers are able to turn challenges into opportunities for growth in a fast-paced, competitive market.
Participants:

Fatima Al Hammadi
Saeed Mohammed
Dalal Al-Jabri

Organiser: Emirates Publishers Association

2:00pm–2:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Preserving the Past While Digitising the Future: Sharjah’s Cultural Heritage
In this lecture, we will be exploring the role of the Sharjah Archaeology Authority in both protecting and documenting the cultural heritage of the Emirate of Sharjah. We will focus particularly on recent efforts made during archaeological excavations in key sites.
We will also highlight the digital transition undergone by the Authority, which is using state-of-the-art technologies to digitise objects and artefacts. By doing so, it preserves the heritage and makes it available to both researchers and the general public.
This lecture will provide an overview of these achievements: the number of archaeological sites found, the number of artefacts registered, as well as the successful initiatives made to support culture and national identity.
Participants:

Amna Al Ali

Organiser: Sharjah Archaeology Authority

3:00pm–3:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Voices of the Emirates: Oral History, Dialects and Maritime Memory
In this seminar, researchers will be presenting their latest work: the Sharjah Oral History Project and the Northern Emirates Dialects Study Project, which are both supported by the Centre for Arabic, Islamic and Cultural Studies.
They will be discussing how non-tangible heritage—such as oral maritime tales from the travel literature corpus, which take place between the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean—contributes to preserving the UAE memory.
Participants:

Dr Nuha Al-Shaar
Dr Salama Thani
Moderator: Fatima Al Mugarrab

Organiser: American University of Sharjah

4:00pm–4:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Efforts of the Emirate of Sharjah in Empowering the Arabic Language and Arabic Studies in Poland
Participants:

Prof. Dr. Mohamed Safi Al Mosteghanemi
Prof. Dr. Barbara Michalak
Prof. Dr. Yousef Sh’hadeh
Dr. Sebastian Gadomski

Organiser: Arabic Language Academy

4:00pm–4:50pm | Main Stage
Women Reshaping Global Publishing: Are Female Leaders Across Markets Reshaping What Gets Published and What Reaches the World?
As publishing power becomes more distributed, women across markets from Central Europe to the UK and beyond are playing a decisive role in shaping the global book landscape.
This panel brings together leading voices in agenting and publishing to explore how decisions are made today: what gets acquired, what travels across borders and how markets like Poland are influencing international trends.
Participants:

Sonia Draga
Clare Christian
Magdalena Kłos-Podsiadło
Moderator: Magda Szpyrko-Ankiewicz

Organiser: PublisHer

5:00pm–5:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Collective Management Organisations and Their Role in Protecting Creative Works – Comparative Study Between the UAE and Poland
In this session, we will study the role of collective management organisations in protecting copyright and regulating the use of creative works in educational contexts. We will draw from experiences both in the UAE and in Poland.
Participants will focus on patents, digital challenges and best practices to protect creators’ intellectual rights. We will mention successful instances of international cooperation, which led to the protection of individuals’ rights and fostered a fruitful environment between the UAE and Poland.
Participants:

Mohammed bin Dakhin Al-Matroushi
Moderator: Yasmin Al-‘Issawi

Organiser: Emirates Reprographic Rights Association

6:00pm–6:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
The Power of Silence: When Images Tell the Story
This panel explores the global impact of Silent Books and wordless storytelling in children’s publishing.
Bringing together publishers, illustrators, and specialists in visual narratives, the discussion will examine how silent books transcend language barriers, foster inclusivity, and create universal access to storytelling.
The session will also highlight UAEBBY’s efforts in promoting Silent Books internationally and the role of visual storytelling in connecting readers across cultures and backgrounds.
Organiser: The UAE Board on Books for Young People

10:00am–10:45am | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Cosmic Encyclopaedia: Building Bridges Between Nature and Philosophy
From the legacy of the House of Wisdom to cosmology as we know it today, science has always been part of a long human saga, which has been shaped by the exchange of knowledge between civilisations via translation. Progress in science has never been linear, nor has it ever been the exclusive property of any given culture.
It is a part of a long, sturdy process that started with Greek thought and led to scientific innovation in Arab and Islamic civilisation. Discoveries found their way to Europe via the Latin language after centuries of linguistic exchanges.
Islamic scientific manuscripts are bridges that keep the ancient heritage alive whilst reinterpreting it in light of the latest discoveries, observations, and experimentation. Baghdad’s House of Wisdom was a centre of cultural enlightenment where Arabic was used in many scientific fields, such as astronomy and mathematics; it quickly became a lingua franca as a result.
Scholars such as al-Farghani, Ibn al-Haytham, Al-Khwarizmi, Al-Tusi, Ibn al-Shatir, amongst others, reshaped our understanding of the motion of celestial bodies and developed sophisticated mathematical and astronomical tools.
These scholars not only transmitted Greek knowledge: they also refined it to create original tools such as astronomical tables and precise geometric models that revolutionised astronomy and mathematics.
Through translation, this knowledge reached prominent academic centres in Europe, such as Jagiellonian University in Kraków, where Nicolaus Copernicus studied.
In this historical context, discoveries such as new cosmological and astronomical models led to scientific progress that cannot be attributed to one civilisation only.
This scientific journey shows that knowledge is a shared human heritage; one that has always been shaped, and continues to be, by cultural exchanges between civilisations, translation and human experience. This heritage influences our understanding of the world as it is today.
Participants:

Masoud Idris
Marcin Karas
Moderator: Mahra AlQaseer

Organiser: House of Wisdom

11:00am–11:45am | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Libraries and Their Role in Society
In this specialised session, we will be reviewing the role of libraries, which are both institutions and places to socialise. Amongst other things, libraries contribute to cultural awareness, learning, and making knowledge accessible to all groups of society.
Participants:

Marwa Al-Aqroubi
Moderator: Sheikha Al-Mutairi

Organiser: Emirates Library and Information Association

12:00pm–12:45pm | Imagination Room (Sala Wyobraźni) / Exhibition Floor -1
Letters to My Little Friend
(Art Workshop for Children)
In this workshop, children will be asked to colour beautiful messages that combine free Arabic calligraphy with drawings of living creatures such as birds, fish, and animals, as well as oriental architectural and botanical motifs.
Participants:

Nasser Nasrallah
Rashid Al-Mulla
Dalal Al-Jabri

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

12:00pm–12:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Artistic and Intellectual Developments in Contemporary Emirati and Polish Literature
Both Emirati and Polish literature have seen significant artistic and intellectual changes as novelists began to analyse society through a new lens and experiment with new kinds of artistic expression to deconstruct the traditional structure of the novel.
By exploring questions of identity, memory, and modernity, their work has given rise to innovative narrative structures. What can be said about the current literary landscape in both countries?
Participants:

Dr. Sultan Al Amimi
Radek Rak
Moderator: Dr. Blanka Dżugaj

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

1:00pm–1:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
What Translates, What Travels: Women Leaders on Rights, Translation and Market Access Between the UAE and Poland
Behind every book that crosses borders is a complex ecosystem. Women leaders from the UAE and Poland examine the mechanics of rights, translation and distribution that enable stories to move between the two markets.
Participants:

Małgorzata Duda-Klag
Joanna Maciuk
Dr Latifa Al-Haj
Ameera BuKadra
Moderator: Anna Jarota

Organiser: PublisHer

2:00pm–2:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
The Art of Storytelling through Narrative Experiences from the UAE and Poland
During this meeting, a collection of vibrant, creative stories from the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Poland will be presented by a number of prominent novelists from both countries, who will be exchanging views on storytelling and talking about their own experiences as writers.
This initiative is meant to promote debate, openness and cross-cultural understanding.
Participants:

Salha Ghabish
Ałbena Grabowska
Moderator: Sheikha Al-Mutairi

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

3:00pm–3:50pm | Main Stage
The Diversity of Human Experiences in Emirati and Polish Fiction
In this seminar, we will explore topics such as memory and humanism in Emirati and Polish novels. We will show how fiction draws on individual and collective memory to document social changes. We will also analyse the artistic and cultural commonalities between both literary traditions.
Participants:

Dhaen Shaheen
Wit Szostak
Moderator: Dr Blanka Dżugaj

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

3:00pm–3:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
UAE Folklore
In this session, we will explore the world of folk tales in the UAE and discover how Emirati and Polish myths both share the same human values.
We will also talk about the efforts made to document oral, non-tangible heritage thanks to new technologies, which turn these ancestral tales into books. These initiatives show that storytelling is an indelible part of our identity.
Participants:

Dr Abdulaziz Al-Musallam
Moderator: Sheikha Al-Mutairi

Organiser: Sharjah Institute for Heritage

4:00pm–4:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Mirrors
(Poetry Readings)
This collection of exceptional Emirati and Polish poetry readings offers shared insights from two rich poetic traditions of the East and the West, which meet in a space where language becomes a mirror of memory and feelings.
Participants:

Kaltham Abdullah
Joanna Mueller
Moderator: Anna Roży

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

5:00pm–5:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Children’s Literature in the United Arab Emirates and Poland: Between Innovation and Renewal
In this seminar, we will explore recent shifts in children’s literature in both the United Arab Emirates and Poland and see how contemporary literature reflects the concerns of new generations.
We will also study how children interact with new narrative forms in a world that is constantly changing at a rapid pace.
Participants:

Nadia Al-Najjar
Barbara Kosmowska
Moderator: Jerzy Kisielewski

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

11:00am–11:45am | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Interactive Books and the Future of Children’s Literature
In this seminar, we will explore how the introduction of interactive formats is reshaping children’s literature as well as redefining the relationship between children, stories and publishers.
From pop-up books and tactile books to technologies such as augmented reality, audio integration and hybrid experiences that combine physical and digital formats, interactive books are not niche products anymore. They have become a key asset in the children’s book publishing industry.
Participants:

Ali Al-Shaali
Iman Bin Chaibah

Organiser: Nasher News

12:00pm–12:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Distances
(Poetry Readings)
During these Emirati-Polish poetry readings, the collective memory appears on the horizon—poetry bridges distances to create a single language that can encompass the diversity of human experience.
Participants:

Abdulrahman Al Humairi
Michał Zabłocki
Moderator: Anna Roży

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

1:00pm–1:45pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Stories That Heal: Bibliotherapy in Children’s Literature
This panel explores the role of storytelling in supporting emotional resilience and mental wellbeing among children and young adults.
Bringing together voices from literature, psychology, and education, the discussion will examine how carefully crafted narratives can help young readers navigate fear, grief, identity, belonging, and emotional growth.
The session highlights the power of children’s literature not only as a creative medium, but also as a tool for empathy, healing, and human connection.
Organiser: The UAE Board on Books for Young People

1:00pm–1:50pm | Adventure Room (Sala Przygody) / Exhibition Floor -1
Between East and West
(Story Readings for Children)
This special event includes a selection of short stories which accurately reflect the rich culture of the United Arab Emirates, with its diverse landscapes, worlds, and communities.
Emirati author Nadia Al Najjar will read stories to Polish children in an interactive session. This event aims to strengthen the connection between Eastern and Western cultures.
Participants:

Nadia Al-Najjar
Paulina Płatkowska

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

2:00pm–2:50pm | Sharjah Pavilion No. 1/D11
Women’s Stories in Emirati and Polish Literature
In this seminar, we will study how the depiction of women in literature has changed, going from background characters to active protagonists.
We will begin this seminar by stating that both Polish and Emirati literature reflect a complex weave of societal realities, historical shifts, artistic developments and intellectual thinking.
Participants:

Dr. Hind Al-Mashmoom
Grażyna Plebanek
Moderator: Dr Blanka Dżugaj

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

2:00pm–2:50pm | Main Stage
Folktales Reimagined: When Illustration Becomes Cultural Dialogue
This panel explores how traditional folktales can be transformed through contemporary illustration and how visual storytelling creates a bridge between cultures.
Bringing together illustrators and cultural representatives involved in the Folktales Reimagined – Polish Edition exhibition, the discussion will examine artistic interpretation, symbolism, and the process of translating heritage into visual narratives across cultural contexts.
The session highlights how illustration can become a space for dialogue, exchange, and reimagining shared human stories between Poland and the UAE.
Organiser: The UAE Board on Books for Young People

28 May 2026, Thursday

10:00am | Grochoteka Library, ul. Grochowska 297
The Spirit of the Emirates
(Art Workshop for Children)
In this workshop inspired by Emirati architecture and clothing, children will be introduced to the art of drawing and colouring. They will discover the beauty of Emirati culture during an activity which reflects the spirit of the United Arab Emirates.

Participants:

Alia Al Hammadi
Khalid Al Khawar

Organiser: Sharjah Book Authority, in cooperation with the Warsaw International Book Fair

29 May 2026, Friday

12:00pm | National Library, al. Niepodległości 213
Writing Folk Tales With A Contemporary Twist: Polish Edition
This international artistic collaboration launched by The UAE Board on Books for Young People. Illustrators from two different cultures were asked to retell each other’s folk stories from their own perspective.
The Polish Edition will bring together Polish and Emirati illustrators who will be asked to reinterpret selected folk tales from both countries, highlighting shared archetypes, cultural memory, and contemporary identity.

Organiser: The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) in cooperation with the Polish Section of IBBY and National Library of Poland.