The penultimate day of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) played host today to local celebrity Kareem Matouq, winner of The Prince of Poets 2007 prize, two fascinating talks on regional history and a ‘ladies only’ session this morning, which was attended by a large number of local female residents looking to explore more than 600,000+ titles on display at this year’s Fair.

Emirati poet Kareem Matouq appeared at the Fair in a prime-time evening session at the Discussion Forum, where he recited his poetry and shared his inspirations and delight at being crowned with the prestigious ‘Prince of Poets’ title. The session proved to be a highly popular event that was attended by visitors of all ages and nationalities.

History was also on the programme agenda thanks to an appearance on the Kitab Sofa by German-born Dr Frauke Heard-Bey, author of well-known book ‘From Trucial States to United Arab Emirates: A Society in Transition’ . Dr Heard-Bey, whose book is considered as the first extensive history of the UAE, has lived in Abu Dhabi since 1967 and shared many of her thoughts on the development of the country.

American author Michael Hamilton Morgan was also under the spotlight at the Discussion Forum on Saturday evening. Hamilton Morgan was at ADIBF to showcase his latest book, ‘Lost History: The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Scientists, Thinkers and Artists’ and gave an informative talk on the region’s contribution to science, intellectualism and the arts.

Continuing the same theme, the exhibition ‘1001 Inventions: Discover the Muslim Heritage in Our World’ is proving a highlight for many of the show’s visitors. The exhibition, which is designed to showcase a book of the same name, reveals the best-kept secrets and over a thousand years of