MBRF launches ‘Knowledge Lounge' in Canada to promote Arabic language globally
The launch was inaugurated with an initial introductory session held in Toronto, in partnership with the Mosaic Foundation. The event featured Hussein Darwish from the Dubai International Program for Writing (DIPW) and Hind Zareef, Director of the Mosaic Foundation. During the session, Hussein Darwish emphasized the Knowledge Lounge as a community-driven knowledge initiative rooted in the belief that knowledge plays a key role in shaping individuals and societies. It also provides a platform for open discussions and interactions among readers, authors, researchers, and experts from various fields.
Hind Zareef expressed pride in the Mosaic Foundation's partnership with MBRF, highlighting it as a key contribution to the world of reading and a significant step in showcasing the Arabic language globally. She also emphasized the importance of knowledge-driven collaborations in raising intellectual standards and improving the reading preferences of the Mosaic Foundation's members. Additionally, she stressed the importance of strengthening communication with the Arab world through MBRF and its role in nurturing strong emotional bonds and fostering a shared sense of belonging to a rich civilization that has historically linked East with West and North with South.
As part of its initiative, MBRF launched the Knowledge Lounge in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, earlier in March 2025. The move was in collaboration with the Federal Youth Foundation of the UAE, represented by the Global Youth Council in Australia. The expansion reflects MBRF's increasing efforts to broaden the scope of the initiative and reach a larger international audience.
His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, CEO of MBRF, said: 'The expansion of the Knowledge Lounge initiative to Canada reflects our strategic goal of connecting Arab readers across the globe with their linguistic and intellectual identity. It promotes the sustainability of knowledge and provides communities opportunities to utilize modern reading tools in a supportive environment. Additionally, this move represents a long-term investment in developing minds capable of generating and sharing knowledge, reinforcing MBRF's position as an active contributor in the global knowledge landscape.'
H.E. bin Huwaireb added: 'At MBRF, we strongly believe that knowledge has no boundaries. This pushes us to work to ensure our initiatives reach communities across the globe, connecting cultures and reinforcing the presence of the Arabic language in global spaces, creating genuine, sustainable knowledge impact. We will continue our efforts to expand the reach of the Knowledge Lounge further and boost our partnerships to attain our goal of building knowledge and creativity-driven societies.'
Throughout July, the Knowledge Lounge is organizing an engaging series of sessions across various cities in the UAE. In Dubai, the initiative will host a Writing Lounge session focused on Nancy Kress's book on novel-writing techniques, along with discussions on 'Cold Fear', a short story collection by Aisha Sultan, and 'The Year of the Fat Cats' by Abdulwahab Al-Hammadi, both to be held at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library (MBRL).
In Khor Fakkan, a session will be held at the Platform Café in the Al-Sidra Heritage Area to discuss 'Margins on Cities, Travel, and Departure' by Aisha Sultan. In Abu Dhabi, a virtual session will focus on 'The Girl on Paper' by Guillaume Musso. Two sessions will be held in Al Ain, one on 'Sugar Street' by Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, and another on 'Truth and Writing' by Bothayna Al-Essa.
In Fujairah, the initiative continues its literary engagement with the Free Readings series, providing an in-depth exploration of various literary themes. The program will also tour Sharjah and Ajman with a special session featuring writer Dr. Khaled Al-Salami. In Ras Al Khaimah, Dr. Abeer Al-Rasbi will lead a morning workshop at the Peak Lounge, guiding participants through a symbolic analysis of the book 'Remaining Tattoo'.
The Youth Lounge, hosted in partnership with the Al-Naqsh platform, will feature a discussion on 'The Most Splendid Journey' by Fadwa Touqan. Additional sessions will be held in collaboration with Al-Naqsh and DIPW to explore 'White Nights in Dubai' by Sarah Mahmoud Al-Khatib, 'The Blue Punishment' by Ahmed Naeem Al-Baz, and 'Dough of Longing', written and illustrated by Nusaiba Al-Munis.
Additionally, the Knowledge Lounge is teaming up with the Digital Knowledge Center to host two engaging sessions. The first will cover 'Why Digital Transformations Fail: Where Do We Start and How Do We Continue?' by Tony Saldana, while the second will discuss 'The Origin of the Universe: Ten Keys to Understanding Existence' by Frank Wilczek.
Internationally, the initiative will maintain an active presence with a session in Australia, organized in partnership with the Federal Youth Foundation and the Australian Youth Council. This session will explore 'Soft Power: Volunteer Work and Humanitarian Giving Following Zayed's Footsteps' by Adel Al Shamry.
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