Sharjah: Sharjah's Guest of Honour programme at the Warsaw International Book Fair 2026 showcased the shared cultural and creative elements between Emirati and Polish literary traditions through panels on storytelling, memory, history, and children's literature.
According to Emirates News Agency, the Sharjah pavilion hosted a session titled 'The Art of Storytelling through Narrative Experiences from the UAE and Poland', featuring Emirati writer Saleha Ghabesh and Polish novelist Albena Grabowska. The discussion delved into how memory, history, and translation can allow stories rooted in local experiences to resonate globally. The authors reflected on the relationship between storytelling, memory, history, and place, emphasizing literature's ability to cross cultural and geographical boundaries while remaining true to its roots.
Ghabesh highlighted that memory is central to fiction and is influenced by language, culture, and craft. She argued that the most localized stories often travel the furthest, resonating across cultures when they remain faithful to their origins while exploring universal emotions and experiences. Grabowska described storytelling as an extension of the memory of women, families, and small communities, noting that much of Polish literature is rooted in 'small homelands', places of origin and generational memory. She also addressed the complexities of translating literature, emphasizing the need to preserve a work's cultural nuances and deeper meanings.
Another discussion, 'The Diversity of Human Experiences in Emirati and Polish Fiction', featured Emirati poet and novelist Dhaen Shahin and Polish novelist Wit Szostak. They explored fiction's role in helping societies understand memory, history, and identity. The authors emphasized that fiction serves as a space for preserving individual and collective memory and reinterpreting history as a living, human experience that transcends geographical boundaries.
The programme also focused on the future of children's literature in the UAE and Poland. Emirati author Nadia Al Najjar and Polish author Barbara Kosmowska participated in a session titled 'Children's Literature in the United Arab Emirates and Poland: Between Innovation and Renewal'. They discussed changing reading habits, technology's influence, and the evolving relationship between young readers and books. Al Najjar emphasized understanding the interests and language of different age groups, while Kosmowska noted the challenges posed by digital distractions and the crucial role of parents in shaping reading habits.