Day One
Education is the theme of this year’s Abu Dhabi Book Fair and it’s already been an educational experience. I’ve learned that there are 24 countries and more than 422 million Arab language speakers in the Middle East. I’ve learned that publishing is most prolific in Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and Syria in that order. I’ve learned that school reform in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has brought a new curriculum and that students in grade 1 receive instruction including math and science in English. I’ve learned that, once again, the Fair’s purpose is to boost the publishing industry in the region and to encourage the citizenry to read, read, read. I’ve learned that the Fair has grown again to more than 630 exhibitors from 52 countries. And of course, I’ve learned to check my stereotypes at the door. A case in point is our pleasant and dignified neighbor in the exhibit hall, a library publisher from Iraq. He spoke matter-of-factly about learning to live with just 4 hours of electricity a day and the constant drone of the neighbors’ generators. He gave me a striking bookmark with a photo he’d taken of a palm tree with a utility line running above it. He’s got a sense of humor. It was taken in the dark.
This year, I’m enjoying and learning from 7 colleagues and co-exhibitors: Tom Ahern of Capstone Publishers, Randy Wilhelm and Mimi Jett of NetTrekker, Chris Campau of Creative Teaching Press, Linda Hanger of Evan-Moor, Dick Casabonne for Eaglemont Media, and Neal Goff of Weekly Reader. When none of our booth materials arrived in time for the opening of the Fair, I learned right off that they’re good sports and old pros. I’ll be asking them to share their impressions with you as we go along. We’ll see if I succeed in my persuasion. So for now…salaam.
–Submitted by Charlene Gaynor
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