(15 September 2020)
The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, DCT Abu Dhabi, has announced that its library management department, MAKTABA, will be broadcasting more than 100 virtual workshops and seminars during September.
According to the Department, the newly announced programme of activities will cover a wide range of topics, such as entrepreneurship, Emirati culture, reading, and keeping safe while online, as well as many others.
Under the theme of ‘Safe Use of Technology’, MAKTABA will host four separate workshops during September to raise awareness of the dangers when using the Internet.
The first will be titled ‘Cyberspace and the Basics of Cybersecurity’, while the second will deal with ‘The Differences Between Trolls, Friends, and Bullies Online’. Workshop number three will focus on the importance of protecting our privacy in ‘Social Media has Eyes and Ears’, with the fourth in the series being ‘Sharing Information via the Internet – What Should and Should Not be Done’.
MAKTABA’s diverse virtual workshops will be covering career development, entrepreneurship and talent investment, interior design and the art of colour coordination, physiognomy, library performance, and how to employ creativity when problem solving.
September will also see the launch of the ‘Library Talk’ programme, which is organised by Qasr Al Watan Library and will provide an insight into the issues faced by the library sector and the many challenges it has to contend with.
Dr. Hassan Al-Suraihi, President of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information, will speak about the current situation of the sector and its future, explaining to attendees how the industry supports its workers and positively impacts the larger community.
Khalifa Park Library will broadcast a lecture by Dr. Muhammad bin Jarash, taking attendees on a fascinating journey through the cultural development of the United Arab Emirates from the formation of the Union to the modern day.
Abdullah Majed Al Ali, Executive Director of the Dar Al Kutub Sector at DCT Abu Dhabi, said, "We are rightly proud of the hard work and determination shown by our library teams. The programming for September is evidence of how much effort goes into providing others with educational, entertaining and beneficial workshops and events, all of which harness the latest technology so that audiences can access this content from the comfort of their own homes."
The MAKTABA sector includes the Qasr Al Watan Library, Zayed Central Library, Khalifa Park Library, Al Marfa Library, Al Bahia Library and Al Wathba Library. Each of these libraries organise workshops targeted at different age groups and deal with a huge array of subjects, from technology and the arts to health, family matters and local culture.