Over 25 well known authors will attend the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival that will run at Expo Center from April 15.
The 11-day festival, themed Discover Friends for Life, will feature a diverse range of 1,694 cultural, educational and entertaining events. It will be attended by 175 literary and intellectual figures, prominent media persons and academicians as well as a number of top international chefs.
“The festival was conceived with the aim of developing children’s culture, skills and talents. It also aims to engage all parts of the community in Sharjah’s cultural scene,” said Ahmed bin Rakkad Al-Ameri, director of SCRF.
The top authors include Britain’s Andy Stanton and Tony De Saulles and America’s Fawzia Gilani-Williams.
Arab guests include Egyptian writer Amal Farah, winner of the UNESCO International Prize for children’s literature in the service of tolerance, Iraqi writer and poet Jalil Khazaal, Bahraini novelist Abdul Qader Aqeel, Egyptian writer and poet Samir Abdul Baqi, Syrian magazine editor Bayan Al Safadi (of Usama magazine), Egyptian writer, novelist and playwright Mahmoud Qassim, Omani writer Aziza Al-Tai, and Yemeni illustrator Bushra Al-Shahari.
“This year, the festival will see the participation of 124 publishing houses from 17 countries, compared to 80 at the 2013 festival,” said Al Ameri.
He said that the festival would host an award-winning exhibition from the UK based organization 1001 Inventions.
25 authors to attend Sharjah reading fest
25 authors to attend Sharjah reading fest
Iraqi lawmakers to elect president Tuesday, PM appointment next
- Parliamentary speaker Haibat Al-Halbussi announced on Sunday that the new parliament will convene on Tuesday to elect a president
BAGHDAD: Iraq’s parliament will meet on Tuesday to elect the country’s new president, who will then appoint a prime minister expected to be Nouri Al-Maliki after he was endorsed by the largest Shiite bloc.
By convention, a Shiite Muslim holds the post of prime minister, the parliament speaker is Sunni and the largely ceremonial presidency goes to a Kurd.
Parliamentary speaker Haibat Al-Halbussi announced on Sunday that the new parliament will convene on Tuesday to elect a president, according to the official INA press agency.
The president will then have 15 days to appoint a prime minister, who is usually nominated by the largest Shiite bloc formed through post-election alliances.
On Saturday, the Coordination Framework alliance — whose Shiiite factions have varying links to Iran — endorsed former prime minister and powerbroker Al-Maliki as the country’s next premier.
The alliance, to which Al-Maliki belongs, spoke of his “political and administrative experience and his record in running the state.”
Kurdish parties have yet to agree on a presidential candidate, who must be endorsed by other blocs and win a two-thirds majority in parliament.
The presidency is usually held by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). This year, the rival Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) named its own candidate: Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.
Although Maliki’s endorsement effectively guarantees him the post, forming a new government remains a daunting challenge that could drag on for months and still fail.
The designated premier has one month to form a government and present it to parliament for a vote of confidence.
The 75-year-old Maliki, a shrewd politician, is set to return to power at a time of seismic changes in the Middle East, as Tehran’s regional influence wanes and tensions with Washington rise.
Government formation in Iraq must balance internal political dynamics and power-sharing among major parties, all under the continued influence of Iraq’s two main allies: Iran and the United States.
A close Iran ally, Al-Maliki will be expected to address Washington’s longstanding demand that Baghdad dismantle Tehran-backed factions, many of which are designated terrorist groups by the US.
Last month, Iraqi officials and diplomats told AFP that Washington demanded the eventual government exclude Iran-backed armed groups, even though most of them hold seats in parliament, and have seen their political and financial clout increase.
But Iraq is struggling with weak economic growth and cannot risk punitive measures by the US, which has already sanctioned several Iraqi entities, accusing them of helping Tehran evade sanctions.
