The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) yesterday held a brainstorming session which aimed to promote children’s literature entitled ‘Multaqa Fikra’ (Idea Forum), which featuredg an elite group of writers, painters and visual artists.

Held at Manarat Al Saadiyat, the session aimed to explore different innovative ideas and proposals that can translate into initiatives and activities, which would contribute to identifying cooperation prospectsin the field of children’s literature. In addition, ‘Multaqa Fikra’ offered insights on how to use words and art to convey messages encapsulating noble human values and ideals that raise the consciousness, while targeting children in particular.

As part of the brainstorming session, participants were put into 5 groups, each assigned with a specific topic highlighting the views and suggestions of participants. The session reached various suggestions, including offering training workshops to improve the reading and writing skills of participants in the "Creative Reader Competition", "The Young Writer Competition", and the "Meet the Author" programme. The session also proposed creating a platform or application that provides information on authors and illustrators of children's literature, alongside their works.

Aiming to promote children’s literature, the event featured a wide range of creative, productive ideas and suggestions, as well as discussions to identify solutions for the challenges in this sphere, working towards publishing meaningful picture books.

Abdullah Majed Al Ali, Acting Executive Director of DCT Abu Dhabi’s National Library Sector, said, "This event’s significance is a testament to DCT Abu Dhabi’s belief that children's literature plays a pivotal role in the child’s cognitive and emotional growth. Children live in a world of their own, using language and expressions that suit their thinking and perception.

"A writer must delve into the child’s mindset to produce works that piques a child’s interest. We hope to see this special event become an annual tradition, allowing us to discuss challenges and reach solutions together, and connect writers with artists to create different knowledge-rich materials that appeal to children and drive their passion for reading."

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