The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) will host the fourth edition of the Al Ain Book Festival from 24 to 30 November 2025, bringing literature, arts, and cultural dialogue to multiple venues across Al Ain, including Al Ain Square – Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium and other heritage sites.
The festival will feature a wide programme of activities celebrating books, narrative arts, poetry, and creativity, reinforcing Al Ain’s reputation as a cultural hub. Organisers said the event aims to promote a reading culture, support Emirati authors, and highlight the role of the family in fostering intellectual engagement.
Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the ALC, said the festival has become a cornerstone of the Centre’s cultural vision. “It is a key element of our mission to leverage the potential of creative industries in enriching our cultural identity,” he noted. “The festival has become a model for drawing inspiration from Emirati culture and transforming it into creative outputs that support publishing, empower young talent, and engage the wider community.”
This year’s edition will also align with the Community Campaign to Support Sustainable Reading, launched by the ALC earlier in 2025, which promotes reading as a lifelong habit and strengthens Arabic as a language of creativity and innovation.
Last year’s festival attracted significant growth, with 200 exhibitors showcasing more than 100,000 titles and over 200 cultural and literary activities, marking a 73% increase in participation requests compared with 2023. Organisers expect to build on this momentum with a larger programme that bridges Al Ain’s heritage and contemporary creative industries.
Analysts note that the Al Ain Book Festival is part of Abu Dhabi’s broader cultural strategy, which seeks to position the emirate as a global centre for knowledge, creativity, and Arabic language advancement, while strengthening the UAE’s presence in the international cultural landscape.
–Input WAM
