UAEBBY Participates in Earth Hour by Hosting Environmentally-themed Reading Event

In celebration of this year’s Earth Hour, the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) organised a special reading event for children that had a focus on the environment. Taking place on Saturday, March 19, 2016 in collaboration with  “Maktaba”, a-first-of-its-kind bookshop and cafe for children and young adults in the UAE and the latest imprint of Kalimat Group, the activity saw youngsters and their parents gather to hear renowned media figure, Mashael Al Shehhi  narrate passages from author Maitha AlKhayat’s ‘Atfeeo Al Adwaa’ (Turn off the Lights).

UAEBBY’s ecologically-themed literary event relayed the importance of reducing energy consumption and protecting the environment. It was held in line with the UAE’s Year of Reading 2016, as declared by the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The initiative aims to foster a culture of reading among children and instil in them a love of books through the employment of modern teaching methods and practices.

“We took part in this important international event to highlight the board’s vital role in promoting educational concepts and moral values that contribute to creating a cohesive, healthy society and a rich, diversified community. We also wanted to take the opportunity to promote Earth Hour and spread awareness among children about reducing energy consumption, as they are the future custodians of the planet,” said Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of UAEBBY Executive Board.

Launched by the World Wide Fund for Nature in Sydney, Australia in 2007, Earth Hour is the largest global movement that aims to protect the environment and increase awareness of climate change and pollution. Within just a few years, Earth Hour saw the participation of over 1.8 billion people, turning it into a major international event. The activity is viewed as an opportunity for every global citizen to unite their efforts to protect planet earth and to take action to stop climate change.      

Earth Hour started as an invitation for people to turn off non-essential lights for one single hour, with the idea rapidly capturing the imagination of individuals, government organisations and multinational corporations. To ensure that cities with different time zones around the world are able to participate in the event, Earth Hour is set to take place on the last Saturday of March close to the Spring Equinox, when day and night are approximately of equal duration around the world.  

UAEBBY is the national branch of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). It was launched in 2010 as an initiative of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan bin Mohammad al Qasimi, Founder and Honorary President of UAEBBY. It aims to promote publishing and distributing high quality children's books in the Arabic language all over the UAE. It also aims to provide professional and amateur authors and illustrators, as well as publishing houses based inside UAE with opportunities to communicate, exchange experiences and develop educational capabilities. The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) is the main Board which is based in Switzerland and founded in 1953. It is an international network of institutions and individuals, from all over the world, who are commitment to promoting and encouraging the culture of reading and instill the love of books in every child.