Dubai, 13 October 2026 – The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) successfully concluded its participation in the 78th edition of the Frankfurt Book Fair, garnering widespread participation from visitors who explored its knowledge projects, initiatives, and publications.
Concluding its participation at the Fair, MBRF launched a project to translate the historical memoir ‘Early Days in the Emirates’ by British author Nicholas Cochrane-Dyet into German. This German edition will be published soon and made available across European bookstores. The work is a self-written account of a young British man who grew up in Abu Dhabi in the late 1960s and witnessed the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan lead the UAE’s transformation – from a desert landscape to a modern and developed nation.
MBRF also launched a new project aimed at translating select portions of the ‘Encyclopedia of Arabic Narrative’ into German, entrusting the task to the renowned German orientalist Stefan Weidner. The project aims to introduce European readers to Arabic literature and is part of MBRF’s broader strategy to bring its knowledge publications to libraries worldwide. Notably, the encyclopedia comprising nine volumes and over 3,300 pages is the outcome of over two decades of extensive research.
The work was completed in 2014 by Iraqi literary critic Dr. Abdullah Ibrahim, who relied on more than 1,000 original sources and references to trace Arabic narrative forms, starting from the pre-Islamic era to the end of the 20th century. Four volumes explore maqamat, folktales, and major popular epics, while another four examine modern narrative literature, tracing the emergence of the novel and critically analyzing over 500 Arabic novels. The ninth volume includes general indexes designed to assist researchers.
MBRF also showcased its leading knowledge projects and programs at the Fair, highlighting its ongoing efforts to advance knowledge production, support its dissemination, and make knowledge accessible to individuals and communities worldwide. MBRF further highlighted its pioneering initiatives through which the Foundation continues to empower young talents, contributing to the growth and development of knowledge-based and creative societies.
