Invite guest speakers to talk about reading and its importance.
Topic: In the Age of AI, is there still a need for a book
Speaker: Isobel Abulhoul : Founder, Advisor and Trustee
Isobel Abulhoul came to Dubai in 1968 and co-founded Magrudy’s, a bookshop chain, in 1975 which is still thriving and now has seventeen bookshops across the UAE. She is a also a co-founder of Al Ittihad Private School which was set up and built on a land donated by HH late Sheikh Rashid.
In 2008 Isobel founded the international Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the Middle East’s largest and award-winning celebration of the written and spoken word. In 2013, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and also the festival patron, issued a Decree establishing the Emirates Literature Foundation, naming Isobel as one of the trustees on the Board. Until March 2023, Isobel was the CEO of the Foundation, and now acts as an advisor and remains as a trustee. Isobel is also a Trustee of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction Board, and a director of the Board for the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library. In addition, Isobel was selected as member of the Police Advisory Council for Community Service. In September 2021, she was appointed as a chairperson for one of the Global Councils focusing on the UN sustainable development goals. Isobel has received several awards and accolades over the years such as Cultural Personality of the Year by Dr. HH Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah, the prestigious OBE award by HM Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain and the Pioneer’s Award in 2016 from HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Isobel’s passion and drive for education and literature remains as strong as ever.
Session outline:
- Definition of AI and its impact on various aspects of society
- History of books and their significance in human civilization
- The Role of Books in Preserving Human Knowledge
- Cognitive and Emotional Benefits of Reading Books
- The Intersection of AI and the Reading Experience
- The Future of Books and AI