On this occasion, UNESCO will present its programmes and publications to hundreds of thousands of visitors at a strategically located stand.

As Guest of honour, UNESCO will organize four panel discussions with the participation of distinguished international experts among which Ms Nahid Afrose Kabir (Australia), Ms Marcia Hermansen (United States of America), Mr Abdel Rahim Ali (Sudan), Mr Mamadou Diouf (Senegal), Mr Khal Torabully (Mauritius), Ms Shirin Akiner (United Kingdom) and Mr Salah Trabelsi (Tunisia).

These panels will deal with:

• the UNESCO collection on "The Different Aspects of Islamic Culture" which has been completed in August 2016 with the publication of Volume I, "The Foundations of Islam" and volume VI, "Islam in the World Today";
• the importance of African history for both global and Middle-Eastern histories;
• the common heritage emerged from the silk and spices roads;
• the shared memories and cultural interactions occurred along the Slave Route.

This will also be the occasion for the members of the International Jury of the UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture to visit Sharjah City from 6 to 10 November in order to meet with local authorities and scholars. They will discuss the possibilities of promoting this Prize which rewards each year two laureates for their outstanding contributions to the Arab culture.