Dubai, UAE, 27 December 2023:  The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library (MBRL) is organising a series of unique cultural events in January 2024, ranging between literature, music, technology, and theatrical art to promote the richness of cultural life in the UAE, and enrich the intellectual and creative sense of visitors of different ages and interests.

The first of these activities is a workshop entitled ‘The Lego Challenge: Build Your Own Robot’, at The Children’s Library, which aims to teach children how to design robots using Lego. The workshop will also discuss a book about robots that reveals interesting facts to children, and motivates them to think about tasks that they would like robots to perform, and then have the opportunity to experiment with designing a robot. Participants will also learn about the robot “Pepper”, which helps visitors by answering their questions, offering directions and information, and reading stories to children.

As part of the monthly ‘Library Days’, MBRL will organise a two-day event called ‘Umm Kulthum Days’ to celebrate Umm Kulthum, the planet of the East, and her lasting contributions that influenced the Arab music industry. The first day will host a discussion on the book 'Umm Kulthum in Abu Dhabi', written by His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Chairman of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library Foundation, and presented by the authors Abdul Ghaffar Hussein and Nasser Iraq. The session will be moderated by Mona Al Raeesi.
The second day will revive Umm Kulthum’s songs through an evening of melody by the artist Nermine Wahba, along with a group of oud, violin, riqq, flute, and qanun players.

Additionally, the library will celebrate Gulf Children’s Day through a set of interactive and educational activities to introduce children to the cultures and landmarks of the six GCC countries. This will include discussing various books and organising research groups to learn more about each country.
The library will also organise a series of workshops on creative authorship to teach adults the basics of writing their first book, by focusing on all aspects of the writing process from beginning to end. The first of these workshops ‘Where Do I Begin Writing?’ will be presented by Emirati writer Dr. Fatima Al Mazrouei.
MBRL will also organise an evening of poetry that brings together an elite group of young Arab poets, including Najat Al Zahiri, Dana Abu Mahmoud, Khaled Al Hassan, and Omar Al Maqdi. The recital of the poems will be accompanied by the tunes of the oud to add a magical ambiance to the event.
Furthermore, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library will offer ‘Theatrical Auditions Workshop’, in collaboration with Dubai National Theater, presented by artist Intisar Issa. The workshop will focus on enhancing artistic skills through practical exercises on stage, and will enable participants to develop their performance and display their artistic creations in front of a small audience, to improve their expressive and creative abilities and performance level.

From theater to public speaking, the library will hold the first workshop in the Series of Public Speaking and Presentation Skills. The workshop aims to develop youth’s public speaking and presentation skills, enhance their communication capabilities, and enable them to attract and interact with the audience.
The Library Days will also make a comeback in January, with the late writer and journalist Virginia Woolf, in a special event that coincides with her birthday month. The event will highlight her literary legacy and her great influence in the world of novels. It will include discussions on two of her most prominent works, with the participation of local and international reading clubs — one session, in Arabic, will discuss ‘A Room of One’s Own and another, in English, for her novel ‘The Waves’.
To attend and participate in these events and activities, check the program and register for free at www.mbrl.ae, and follow the library’s social media pages to stay up to date.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library plays a pivotal role in enriching the cultural and intellectual scene in the UAE through its diverse events. This makes it a lively cultural hub that enhances knowledge exchange, stimulates creativity and learning, encourages intellectual dialogue, and deepens cultural awareness in society.