Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre launches ‘Here… They Have a Story’ book

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, has published a new anthology of community-written real-life accounts at the 35th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.

The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), has launched a new collection titled “Here… They Have a Story” at the 35th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF 2026). The volume gathers real-life accounts and personal reflections written by members of the local community, portraying the diversity and shared humanity of life in the UAE.

A community-led publishing initiative

The book is the outcome of the ALC’s “Self-Publisher” community initiative, which was introduced last year to mark the UAE’s “Year of Community”. The scheme was designed to celebrate local voices through literature and to encourage creative writing by giving talented individuals from a range of nationalities the chance to develop and present their work.

The ALC received more than 247 submissions from contributors spanning a wide array of ages and cultural backgrounds. Writers who took part came from the UAE and from abroad, including Egypt, Syria, Sudan, India, Jordan, Yemen, Oman, the Philippines, Algeria, Lebanon, Iraq, the United States, Ukraine, Italy, Bahrain, Mauritania, Morocco, Palestine, Pakistan, Tunisia and Libya. The breadth of contributors reflects the multicultural social fabric of Abu Dhabi and the wider Emirates.

A committee of experts reviewed the entries and selected material on the basis of writing and storytelling quality, and the ability to convey the strength of community alongside cultural and human diversity. The process emphasised narratives that transform everyday details, memories and relationships into stories that resonate beyond individual experience.

Notably, the 33–37 age group recorded the highest participation, a signal of strong engagement among younger adults who are using writing as a means to document personal and communal experience. The project therefore serves both as a platform for established and emerging writers and as a record of contemporary social life in Abu Dhabi.

Launched at ADIBF, the anthology underlines the role of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre within DCT Abu Dhabi in nurturing literary talent and promoting the Arabic language alongside the city’s cultural and community objectives. By amplifying community-authored stories, the ALC seeks to foster intercultural understanding and provide a permanent repository of voices that reflect Abu Dhabi’s cosmopolitan identity.

Source: WAM