The Seoul Times

The United Arab Emirates Embassy in Seoul participated in the seventh edition of the Nam-gu Book Festival, Gwangju, South Jeolla Province from Oct. 31 through Nov. 30, 2020, in line with the efforts to preserve the UAE's authentic Arab traditions and popular heritage.

Three poems from the UAE have been displayed in a public park in Nam-gu as part of the Festival, including those dating back to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founding president of the country.

The UAE Ambassador H.E. Abdulla Saif Alnuaimi sent a congratulatory message to the organizers of the festival. He praised the festival for the important role that it plays in enabling the interaction among publishers, authors, and readers.

He added that "the selection of the three poems from my country, United Arab Emirates, is highly appreciated. The display of the poems as part of the works of the festival contributes significantly to the enhancement of cultural exchange between the UAE and the Republic of Korea and their friendly people."

The Ambassador further explained that "writing poetry is one of the popular forms of literary expressions in the UAE. The inclusion of the poems in the festival underlines the soft power diplomacy pursued by my country and its efforts toward tolerance. The UAE government announced 2019 as the Year of Tolerance to establish the country as a model of tolerance.

This has been materialized via a series of initiatives, activities, projects and programs that feature and reinforce dialogue and co-existence among various cultures, religions and civilizations."

The selected poems are written by prominent UAE figures, including the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, said the Ambassador.

The Embassy's participation also included a number of pictures and pamphlets that dealt with the different aspects of the Special Strategic Partnership between the two friendly countries. The festival has attracted a number of writers, readers and those interested in cultures of other peoples.