Knowledge Lounge Initiative for Promoting a Love of Reading

Knowledge was and still is the main inspiration for humanity in research, development and progress. The wise government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has accorded special importance to research and knowledge, establishing foundations and departments responsible for raising knowledge competence in government institutions.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) has established important principles and exceptional initiatives to advance the individual and society. Among these initiatives is a knowledge Lounge, which has created an integrated knowledge entity among its members in terms of the content it provides. This initiative offers the reader with different sets of books and lectures that enhance the power of knowledge.

Knowledge Transfer

The Knowledge Lounge Initiative is the most prominent societal initiative, as it adopted several projects/programs involved in the transfer of knowledge to society. Notable among them is the Ladies Lounge, an initiative that contributed to spreading the culture of reading in society within the UAE and abroad. It also organized a series of knowledge transfer sessions for specialists in various disciplines. It is also the most comprehensive initiative, whose activities are multiplied and linked to MBRF’s various initiatives. Knowledge Lounge collaborated with the House of Poetry to organize poetry evenings, discussed the publications of the Dubai International Program for Writing, and held a special session with the program’s graduates in addition to the multiple discussion sessions that dealt with publications of Qindeel Printing, Publishing and Distribution.

Knowledge Lounge and Covid-19

Since the launch of the Knowledge Lounge and its initiatives, the message of knowledge transfer has been adopted. As an intellectual lounge, the initiative has the role of increasing an individual’s productivity and raise positivity and happiness. When Coronavirus pandemic struck, the activities of Knowledge Lounge did not stop but rather went along with the digital transformation given its digital readiness which made it possible for many of its sessions to be managed remotely. During the lock-down, the initiative organized 33 remote events and hosted eight influential writers and media professionals.

Spreading the Culture of Reading

Among the key objectives of the Knowledge Lounge is to promote the culture of reading and to encourage individuals to read different styles of books to broaden their knowledge sources. So the reading plan has been developed for the Ladies Lounge initiative as part of Knowledge Lounge to make reading as a lifestyle within extended groups in the UAE and beyond. It organizes discussion sessions for selected books in Arabic and English within its various groups.

READING GROUPS FOR KNOWLEDGE LOUNGE

• Dubai
• Abu Dhabi
• Sharjah and Ajman
• Ras Al Khaimah
• Fujairah
• Al-ain
• The Female Writers’ Lounge
• The specialist FemaleWriters’ Lounge

• Jordan
• International Group
• English language Abu Dhabi
• English language Dubai
• Female adolescent lounge-Al Ain
• Young Girls Lounge Dubai
• Flowers Lounge
• Book Lounge