Frankfurt: His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, signed the German version of his latest book, Under the Flag of Occupation, on the opening day of the Frankfurt Book Fair yesterday.

Dr Shaikh Sultan, a world-renowned scholar and historian, also revealed that he is working on a giant project to document the history of the Gulf region through the ages, since the formation of urban societies.

His latest book, Under the Flag of Occupation, which is the result of a study of thousands of historical documents, chronicles the political, economic, social and literary history of Sharjah between 1820 and 1866. The region was then under the rule of the British Empire.

Dr Shaikh Sultan has published dozens of books documenting the history of the UAE and most of the Gulf region.

The 67th Frankfurt Book Fair, which was officially opened on Tuesday, is considered the largest business-to-business exhibition of the book industry. This year, it boasts around 7,200 exhibitors from 104 countries. Indonesia is the guest of honour this year.

Earlier, Dr Shaikh Sultan, during a meeting with the UAE media visiting the book fair, urged UAE publishers to pay special attention to the translation movement which he described as an essential element of the global exchange of knowledge. “We need such a revival of the translation movement as it not only brings to us what the others write in all fields but also projects to the world what we write, our traditions and values,” he explained.

He said the efforts undertaken by Sharjah to translate and publish foreign works are assessed by the benefits from what is being translated. “The question is not how many books are translated but what is being translated. And this should work both ways, the western books that are translated to Arabic and the Arabic books that are translated to other languages,” he said.

Dr Shaikh Sultan stressed the importance of participating in international events, such as the Frankfurt Book Fair, to strengthen cultural ties and raise the UAE flag on such occasions. “I am proud that we in the UAE have been a leader in the Arab world in that. I am proud to see the UAE flag flying high in these events,” he added.

Vibrant nations, he continued, “have been rebuilt through emphasis on culture and raising subsequent generations on rational, scientific thinking and informed decisions”.

He said he is working on a giant project, which would take the shape of at least seven volumes, that will document the history of the Arabian Gulf region from the beginning of urban societies in this vital region.

Dr Shaikh Sultan praised the UAE media, which he said has “matured and played a leading role in national awareness building”. He called on editors to be aware of the latest trends in the media to provide the necessary information to their audiences. “I don’t think the role of the press is to be sensational. They should be informative and helpful in the development of our society,” he added.

“Our media must also be objective and refrain from publishing anything that would lead to sedition or hatred among members of the society. We should highlight the scientific heritage of our Arab and Muslim scientists to strengthen this culture in our society.”

Shaikh Sultan also toured the book fair, accompanied by Shaikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), Ahmad Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, Director of Sharjah Book Authority, and UAE media officials.