File photo: Qatar National Library
Doha, Qatar: The 36th Annual Conference of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information (AFLI) will begin Sunday, at the Qatar National Library.
The three-day conference, themed "Digital Justice and Arab Information Institutions: Strengthening Partnership, Sustainability, and Digital Transformation," will see wide participation from academic institutions, national and public libraries, and information professionals from across the Arab world.
This year's conference aims to enhance the role of libraries in supporting equitable access to information, expand Arab cooperation, and bolster initiatives that unify efforts in digitization and sustainability. It also seeks to encourage Arab researchers to present rigorous and insightful studies that examine the region's experiences in achieving digital justice.
The conference will address the digital divide related to language and culture through a comprehensive analysis of its challenges and opportunities. These studies will contribute to evaluating current efforts in the Arab world, offering practical recommendations to enhance Arabic digital content, solidify the principles of digital justice, and support the development of artificial intelligence applications that meet the growing needs of Arab societies.
The conference is the largest annual Arab gathering of library and information professionals, bringing together experts, academics, and leaders of knowledge institutions to discuss the future of information and scientific research in the Arab world. More than 20 scientific sessions and workshops will showcase leading Arab experiences in artificial intelligence, open science, heritage digitization, and data governance.
The first day of the conference includes an official opening ceremony followed by keynote sessions discussing the prospects for Arab publishing, achieving digital justice, and the transformation of information institutions toward the digital future. The accompanying exhibition, featuring organizations and institutions from various Arab countries, will also open.
The event will feature 22 scientific sessions covering key themes in digital justice and the development of knowledge environments. Among these sessions are "Digital Justice and Universal Access to Knowledge in Information Institutions" and "Arab Efforts in Collecting and Making Intellectual Output Available and Developing Legislative and Regulatory Frameworks."
It will feature presentations on digital justice experiences and practices through initiatives presented by the Qatar office, as well as a dedicated scientific session entitled "Sustainable Practices for Achieving Digital Justice," which will highlight mechanisms for ensuring sustainability in digital transformation projects and information equity practices.
The conference will also include the presentation of the annual report of the AFLI, followed by the Federation's elections, as part of its concluding agenda aimed at strengthening professional governance and developing the framework for joint Arab action in the library and information sector.
