Page 178 - MBRF PR REPORT - May 2024

the Travel Writings workshop. Dr. Wafaa Al Mezghani, the workshop instructor, and
Lina Taraqji, the session coordinator, explained the key themes presented in the book.

During an introductory session, Dr. Khaled Abdel Fattah, Advisor of Knowledge and
Digital Solutions at the MBRF, provided an overview of the ‘Digital Knowledge Hub’
(DKH). He emphasized the DKH’s significance as the biggest digital hub for Arab
content. The DKH adapts to the demands of the modern era and the younger
generations.

y disseminating Arab knowledge and knowledge across the globe, the DKH ensures a
prime position among diverse cultures and civilizations. It further promotes connections
with different cultures globally through the dissemination of knowledge and traditional
values from reliable sources. Moreover, it serves as a vital platform for major Arab
publishing houses. It provides the first search engine designed specifically for digital
material created in the Arab world. This engine guarantees easy access to information
and saves time and effort by using a classification method that complies with worldwide
digital content organization standards.

On the second day of ADIBF, the MBRF organized various activities and events
including a panel discussion titled ‘Cutting Food Waste, Cutting Carbon: Climate
Solutions. The session which was part of the KnowTalks series had the participation of
Lara Hussein, Co-Founder and Soil Builder, The Waste Lab. During the panel, she
highlighted the issues of food waste globally, which has reached one billion tons in
volume per year.

During the session, Hussein noted that carbon emissions (particularly methane and
carbon dioxide) are the key cause of food pollution, followed by water, air, and soil
contamination. She also highlighted the need for institutions to prioritize environment-
friendly methods for disposing of organic waste, pointing out that food waste takes a
long time to degrade in landfills and releases dangerous gases that contribute to climate
change. These materials could be utilized to create useful fertilizer and other secondary
products by putting in place the proper sorting procedures. This would improve the soil
and farms in the area, which would ultimately improve the quality of the food and the
climate.

In addition, the DKH organized an insightful discussion titled ‘The DKH: Platform,
Content, and Solutions’ featuring Dr. Khaled Abdel Fattah. The session proved to be
instrumental in highlighting the transition towards digital content in the present world. Dr.
Khaled underlined that digital material will play a major role in shaping the future and
demanded the creation of a comprehensive strategy to guarantee that it is accessible to
a large number of people.

He noted that it can be attained through digital programs and platforms that aim to
establish cooperative, open, and interconnected systems, focusing on delivering
integrated services. Furthermore, He underlined the need to improve Arabic digital
content and encourage the growth of platforms that support its development. The
second day of the fair also witnessed an introductory session on the Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award, which was presented by Huda Al Marzouqi, the

https://www.albawaba.com/business/pr/mbrf-highlights-wide-array-knowledge-programs-abu-
dhabi-international-book-fair-1564238