Qatar National Library (QNL), Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Press, and the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region have launched an initiative entitled ‘Books - Made in Qatar’, as part of the official Qatar Germany 2017 Year of Culture, to encourage the production of Qatari children’s literature.
The project, which will roll out through multiple phases, started with a free workshop for ten Qatari children’s authors on January 29. The five-day workshop, hosted by Ute Krause, one of Germany’s best-known children’s and young adults’ authors, gives participants the opportunity to work with Krause on their storylines and book projects. They also have the chance to discuss problems and challenges of writing for children and to exchange ideas in a friendly and supportive environment.
Ute Krause has been working as a children’s writer and illustrator for the past 30 years. She has written 22 books and illustrated around 400. Her work has been turned into films for children’s television and featured on the radio. She has also been nominated for children’s book prizes and her work has been translated into many languages.
In a subsequent ‘Books - Made in Qatar’ workshop, ten Qatari illustrators will illustrate texts created in the writers’ workshop, and finalize the projects with the authors. The results will be presented to the public at the 28th Doha International Book Fair 2017. Selected children’s books created in the workshops will be considered for publication through HBKU Press.
Commenting on the initiative, Hind Al Khulaifi, Head of Children’s Services at Qatar National Library, said: “Children are our future, and our efforts to reach them is one of the biggest priorities at QNL. We take pride in showcasing Qatari talent and believe it’s our obligation as the national library to provide opportunities for these authors to thrive.”
“Launching the ‘Books – Made in Qatar’ project is a unique undertaking in Qatar that creates a learning platform where experience and culture can be exchanged,” Hind added.
“We want to encourage the production of Qatari children’s literature that is based on Qatari traditions, values, experiences, daily life, environment and needs,” said Dr. Gabriele Landwehr, General Manager of the Goethe-Institut Gulf Region. “Our aim is to have excellent books published and bring them to children, to ensure the younger generation is a generation of book lovers. We’ve gained valuable experiences in the field of reading promotion in Germany. Ute Krause, a leading author and illustrator for children´s literature, will work with Qatari writers and illustrators. They will receive professional support for their work; from finding the subject, creating characters and writing dialogues, to first sketches, the use of colors and the final storyboard.”
Rodolphe Boughaba, Executive Director of HBKU Press, said: “Our main mission as a Qatari publishing house is to nurture Qatari and regional talents by providing a strong platform for academic and trade publishing, locally and internationally. This collaboration allows us to target the voices we wish to amplify and to enter into a fruitful working relationship with them for many years to come.”
QNL, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), supports Qatar’s journey towards becoming a knowledge-based economy by spreading knowledge, nurturing imagination, cultivating creativity and preserving the nation’s heritage for future generations.
