(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

A year-long creative endeavour has culminated in the launch of 'Sharjah: The Capital of Culture' - a premium coffee table book that captures the emirate's rich cultural soul. The distinguished publication was officially unveiled today at Sharjah's House of Wisdom in a ceremony that took guests on an experiential journey through the book's seven narrative chapters.

Produced in collaboration with Assouline, the renowned global luxury publisher, the book represents a significant milestone in showcasing Sharjah's cultural prestige on the world stage.

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It is the second partnership between the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and Assouline, following the successful launch of a book on Mleiha at last year's book fair.

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“This year, we launched the Mleiha book in Arabic during the book fair, and today we are delighted to launch the Sharjah book,” said Ahmad Obaid Al Qaseer, Executive Director of Shurooq.

A journey through Sharjah's soul

Al Qaseer described the project as an effort to present the“soul of the city” rather than simply documenting its physical structures.

“The main idea behind this book was to bring out the spirit of Sharjah,” Al Qaseer explained in an interview.“Sharjah is an emirate distinguished by culture, knowledge, and sustainability. We didn't focus so much on the buildings; we focused on the content and substance of this book. The person who reads this book gets immersed in the city.”

The launch event at the House of Wisdom brought this vision to life, with dedicated sections exploring the book's seven core themes: architecture, art, education, environment, literature, museums, and craftsmanship.

These chapters take readers on a journey from Sharjah's past to its future, embodying the emirate's vision and the projects that define it today.

A year in the making

Al Qaseer noted the immense effort involved in creating such a high-calibre publication.“We worked for about a year on this book,” he stated.“It involves photographers and others, and there are facts that need to be verified one by one. The quality of the book is exceptionally high - the content, the photography, everything requires tremendous effort.”

This commitment to quality is a hallmark of Assouline, one of the most important publishers today in the field of art and culture books. The publisher is famous for its visually stunning 'coffee table books' that have become collector's items and decorative pieces in their own right.

“These are books people always love to acquire because the quality is very high - the content is high, the photography is exceptional,” Al Qaseer said.“The beauty of Assouline books is that people love to buy them to display them as part of their decor, even as part of the interior design.”

Physical luxury, no digital edition

For this reason, a digital version will not be produced. Al Qaseer was emphatic on this point.

“There will be no digital version. The idea is for it to exist as a physical book - a luxury coffee table book. There is no concept of it being digital,” he explained.“This is the nature of working with Assouline. People buy Assouline books to keep them as a showpiece.”

The book will be available globally, ensuring Sharjah's story reaches an international audience. Readers can purchase their copy starting tomorrow, November 11.

It will be available during the Sharjah International Book Fair at the Sarab platform. The book will be sold at Shurooq's outlets, including the House of Wisdom, with more outlets to follow.

It will also be featured in Assouline's prestigious stores worldwide - in New York, Paris, London, and in the Arab world at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The physical book can also be purchased through Assouline's online platforms globally.

“Today, for example, we were just in London at Assouline Maison in London, and their books were available there. We expect the Sharjah book will be available online worldwide and in most Assouline stores around the world,” Al Qaseer noted.

Arabic edition

Following the successful English release, Al Qaseer confirmed that an Arabic version is the next step in this ongoing collaboration.

“This is the first phase of working with Assouline. The second phase is to release the Arabic edition soon” he said.

With its release, Al Qaseer hopes to see the book become a fixture in homes across the emirate and beyond.“We hope to see the Assouline Sharjah book everywhere. You will see it in every house in Sharjah” he said.

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