Al Dhafra Book Festival 2026 Opens To Celebrate Cultural Legacy And Family-Focused Programme

H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan is patron of the sixth Al Dhafra Book Festival. The event has opened at Madinat Zayed City Park. It will run until 25th January. Books, performances and activities place culture at the centre of community life in the Al Dhafra Region.

The event is organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre. The centre treats culture as a driver of social development. It supports the UAE objective of turning reading into a daily habit. It also backs plans to build an active knowledge society. The 2026 edition aligns with the national Year of the Family.

The programme includes panel discussions on current cultural and social issues. Poetry evenings highlight oral heritage. Heritage initiatives such as Hadirat Baynounah, supported by ADNOC, examine Emirati identity and storytelling. Arts and music schedules bring 78 performances. Workshops, theatre shows and educational activities are designed for children and young people.

Visitors move through zones themed around maritime, desert and space environments. Live cooking demonstrations showcase local cuisine. Daily prize draws are linked to book purchases. A special event on 20th January takes place at Al Dhafra Fort. Winners of the Sard Al Thahab Award for folk narrative arts are recognised there.

The festival offers more than 30,000 titles from 110 exhibitors. This reflects a 10 percent rise in participating publishers compared with the previous edition. There are 375 cultural, educational and recreational activities for different age groups. These activities help position Al Dhafra Book Festival as a cultural and tourism destination. Three Khazanat Al Kutub pop-up libraries across the region promote Arabic language use.

The focus on families is central in 2026. The UAE marks that year as the Year of the Family. The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre designs a comprehensive schedule around this theme. Families are treated as the core audience. The aim is to make reading, cultural visits and festival participation shared household experiences.

Al Dhafra Book Festival organisers, partners and strategic role

Ali bin Tamim is Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre. Ali bin Tamim states that Al Dhafra Book Festival develops each year as a cultural platform. It is anchored in heritage and community values. It links authentic traditions with future goals. This role is strengthened through cooperation with national partners. Partners include Al Dhafra Region Municipality, ADNOC, Lindor Systems and several programme supporters.

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre presents culture as a main pillar of community development. It backs national efforts to make reading a way of life. It also supports plans to build a knowledge society and strengthen the everyday presence of Arabic. The Al Dhafra Book Festival at Madinat Zayed City Park runs until 25th January. It remains an important tool within that strategy.

With inputs from WAM