Passengers at Sharjah Airport get free books with coffee

SHARJAH: Sharjah International Airport passengers left for various parts of the world on Thursday, carrying free books they chose on a variety of topics. These books were brought in as part of the ‘Travel with a Book’ event organised by Sharjah-based Knowledge without Borders (KwB) initiative for airport passengers and employees.

The endless cups of coffee bought at the airport were made more rewarding for passengers with KwB’s ‘A Coffee and a Book’ twist, which entailed receiving a free book upon making a coffee purchase. The proceeds from coffees sold as part of this event will go entirely to The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF).

The day that marked a special celebration of knowledge and reading at the Sharjah Airport wasn’t limited to the distribution of 250 books in Arabic and English in genres of literature, self-development, religion, history and education. KwB also updated the airport’s staff library with 150 books, in addition to rolling in the Knowledge Cart – a mobile library featuring a variety of books in different languages to cater to travellers from varied nationalities and encourage them to spend their time waiting for flights more fruitfully by reading.

Additionally, the existing KwB library at the airport has been refreshed with brand new titles.

This latest activation is a continuation of a series of programmes and activities designed and implemented by KwB across schools, hospitals and other public spaces to promote the habit of reading in people across age groups, develop a stronger understanding among the public about the importance of continued knowledge consumption through reading and finally, enabling better access to books through the establishment and upgradation of libraries in public offices as well as people’s homes.

Mariam Al Hammadi, Director of KwB, said: “Our foremost objective is to create a generation of avid readers. We aim to do so through a comprehensive plan that nurtures the community’s reading habit, especially in public spaces where they spend a great deal of time. We believe that the culture of reading provides a sound basis for lifelong learning, and nurturing minds with knowledge is central to the nation-building process. It is also vital to enhance the mental, intellectual and cultural assets of our people.”