Dubai, UAE, October 1, 2014: Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan Arts and Culture Foundation to activate the first partnership under the Writer Exchange category of MBRFs Dubai International Program for Writing. The program is aimed at empowering young authors and providing them a suitable environment to develop their talent.

The agreement was signed in the Japanese capital Tokyo in the presence of H.E. Ali Saeed Al Nowais, UAE Ambassador to Japan, His Excellency Jamal Bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of MBRF, Yasunobu Terada, Chairman, Japan Arts and Culture Foundation, and Shintaro Ishihara, Supreme Advisor, Japan Arts and Culture Foundation.

Under the Writer Exchange category, MBRF will tie up with literary and knowledge entities world-wide to enable writers from the UAE and other countries to gain deeper understanding about each others cultures and express their experiences through their works.

As part of the exchange program with Japan Arts and Culture Foundation, writers from the UAE and Japan will stay for a while in each others countries, where they will get opportunities to exchange ideas based on their respective cultures, and introduce their works. Writers will be chosen separately by a committee from their own country.

The cooperation will lead to the publication books in Arabic and Japanese, which will emphasize the concepts of mutual learning, mutual cooperation and oneness of humanity.

This agreement is further confirmation of MBRF`s commitment to implement the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to strengthen the process of knowledge transfer and empower young Arab talents to develop their skills in order to enhance the contribution of Arab literature and creativity to the literary world, said H.E. Jamal Bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of MBRF.

Commending the MBRF for its efforts to create global partnerships in knowledge and literary exchange categories, Yasunobu Terada, said: We are honored to join hands with the MBRF to support the Foundations efforts to spread knowledge and literary awareness. The writer exchange is a great step forward in enhancing knowledge awareness and contributing to the development of literature in Japan and the UAE.

This MoU marks the official launch of the Writer Exchange category of Dubai international program of writing in accordance with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Foundation, to expand efforts to encourage young Arabs in the field of writing and support dissemination of knowledge. The overwhelming response to the writing category, and the desire of many young Arab talents to develop their skills, was the main motive behind the official launch of Writer Exchange category that will allow more young Arab writers to benefit from the program. H.E. Jamal Bin Huwaireb added.

The focus of the category is more on the outcome of the exchange. Our effort is to enable writers from both the countries to understand each others cultures and inspire each other and then communicate those experiences to the readers, H.E. Jamal Bin Huwaireb added.

The launch of the Writer Exchange category is in line with MBRF strategy to raise knowledge and literary awareness in various societies. It also reflects our keenness to maintain close ties with other knowledge and literary entities around the world to encourage talents through first-hand experiences, which will lead to productive outcomes in the form of outstanding works, H.E. Jamal Bin Huwaireb concluded.

Japan Arts and Culture Foundation contributes to finding, nurturing and supporting young innovative talents internationally from arts, knowledge and political fields through platforms such as knowledge exchange, research, conferences, lectures and exhibitions.

Dubai International Program for Writing was established by MBRF to raise the level of intellectual and literary capabilities of young Emirati and Arab writers, and enrich the cultural movement in UAE and the Arab world. The program was launched under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in early October of 2013.

The Programme started with Writing category where a panel of experts in the areas of writing assesses the writing samples submitted by youngsters interested in joining the program, according to specific criteria based on talent and language skills. Talented writers who pass the evaluation stage join specialized training programs under the finest local and Arab trainers who have excelled in areas of writing such as fiction, poetry, history, science, research studies and so on. After the completion of the required training courses, MBRF will publish the works of the candidates in cooperation with reliable publishing houses inside and outside the UAE.