Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi visits the National Library
Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi , accompanied by Marwa Al Aqroubi, Director of the House of Wisdom in Sharjah, visited the National Library on Friday, 29 May 2026. The meeting provided an opportunity to highlight the role of books, storytelling and intangible heritage in building intercultural dialogue, as well as to present the exhibition Folktales Reimagined. Stories from Across Generations and Cultures. The guests were welcomed by Dr Tomasz Makowski, Director of the National Library, Julia Konopka-Żołnierczuk, Deputy Director, and Joanna Piekarska, President of IBBY Poland and Head of the Department of Library Education.
The visit to the National Library emphasised the importance of cooperation between cultural institutions in Poland and the United Arab Emirates. A special point of the programme was the presentation of the exhibition Folktales Reimagined. Stories from Across Generations and Cultures, devoted to the folk tales of both countries. The exhibition shows how traditional stories, passed down orally from generation to generation, can be reinterpreted by artists from a different culture. The project brought together five artists from Poland and five artists from the United Arab Emirates, who interpreted the most recognisable characters and motifs from the fairy-tale traditions of the other country.
The exhibition is not simply a translation of old stories into the language of contemporary illustration. Rather, it is a conversation – a meeting of imagination, experience and sensitivity. Polish fairy tales, rooted in the landscape of forests, rivers and historic towns, and Emirati folk tales, emerging from the traditions of desert coasts and community life, reveal both the diversity of cultures and the similarities that connect them. In the traditions of both countries, recurring questions arise about good and evil, justice, courage, wisdom, responsibility and the consequences of human choices.
The Folktales Reimagined project reminds us that fairy tales are among the oldest forms of human creativity. Before there were books, cities or borders, people gathered to tell stories – to pass on knowledge, offer warnings and comfort, explain the world and build a shared identity. Contemporary reinterpretations of these stories show that, despite changing times, their fundamental message remains alive.
The visit of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi and Marwa Al Aqroubi to the National Library was an important expression of cooperation, as well as a confirmation that cultural institutions can play a significant role in bringing societies closer together.
The exhibition at the National Library is on display in the hall of the main building at Al. Niepodległości 213 until 30 June 2026. Admission is free.
The exhibition was organised in cooperation with the Polish Section of IBBY, the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) and the National Library.
