Mohammed Bin Rashid Library To Hold First Dubai International Library Conference In Nov.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library announced Tuesday that it will host and organize the first Dubai International Library Conference 2024 (DILC 2024) from Nov. 15 to 17 this year.

It will be a major event in the Middle East and North Africa under the theme of "Our Libraries, Past, Present and Future," featuring over 60 speakers and involving more than 25 countries worldwide.

The Supreme Committee overseeing DILC 2024 includes three members from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation's Board of Directors - Isobel Abulhoul, Ibrahim Al Hashmi and Jamal Al Shehhi.

During the press conference, Abulhoul explained that the upcoming event will be a "vitally important opportunity for delegates and speakers to meet in person at this iconic library to discuss the most pressing issues facing libraries worldwide," according to WAM.

"The entire world, including the MENA region, must keep pace with the challenges of the digital age, and be a bridge between generations, combining the wisdom of the ancient past, the renewed vigor of the present, and the promising and, at times uncertain, future," he added.

Al Hashmi, on the other hand, noted that this first edition "constitutes an important space to explore the role of libraries as beacons of culture and knowledge in building bridges of communication and enhancing understanding of multiple cultures."

He shared that the Dubai Library Conference 2024 will promote the exchange of experiences and knowledge within a global framework, highlighting the prospects of libraries in the future, digital transformation, the concept of transforming them into museums of the future, and the latest practices in the library and information sector.

Al Shehhi echoed similar sentiments about the event and said it will serve as a "vital platform and a unique opportunity to explore the latest technologies, innovations, and challenges in the world of libraries and information."

The three-day event will feature over 45 important sessions, including panel discussions, workshops, lectures, and interactive round-table talks.

Topics will cover preserving and restoring archives, advancements in library systems and programs, intellectual property and copyright laws, artificial intelligence, sustainable libraries, and the impact of philanthropy on access to books and information.

The most prominent names participating in the conference are Louis Coiffait-Gunn, CEO of CILIP; Sharon Memis, Secretary-General of IFLA; Leslie Burger, Interim Executive Director at ALA; and Dr. Sami Mobayed, Historian at the Royal Historical Society in London, among others.