President Macron of France was greeted by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah and Member of the Supreme Council, his daughter Sheikha Bodour of Kalimat and Noora al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development for the UAE, when he visited the Sharjah stand on the opening evening of the Salon du Livre in Paris on Thursday (15 March).

The President was shown a display of French editions of His Highness’ book and also saw illuminated quotations from the Qur’an and displays of Emirati heritage.

The stand is the largest the Emirate has enjoyed at a book fair and its design and build has been overseen by Weam Ibrahim, MD of Event & Exhibition Management.  Ibrahim, who was born in Iraq and moved to Sharjah in 2000, explained: “We wanted something that showcased all sides of Sharjah, traditional and modern.”

With its heritage corner and its wafting smoke of sweet-smelling bukhor, and then the cries of delight from the ‘Plongez-vous Dans Sharjah’ 3-D experience, which gives visitors a ‘drone’s-eye’ view of the emirate, everyone is agreed that this is a stand that everyone will remember.