TRENDS Group and its five companies have concluded their seventh participation in the Sharjah International Book Fair 2026, serving as Knowledge Partner for the fair’s 45th edition. The Group organized a series of research and knowledge activities that enriched the fair’s program, held under the theme Made of Stories at Expo Centre Sharjah, with 2,673 publishers and exhibitors from 124 countries in attendance.
During the fair, TRENDS launched 24 new books, reflecting its research vision of supporting culture and knowledge and promoting a culture of academic research within society. The publications address a range of contemporary regional and international issues and developments. The Group also welcomed visitors to an innovative knowledge pavilion featuring robotics and interactive technologies, alongside a series of research and intellectual activities.
The pavilion welcomed a wide range of dignitaries, officials, academics, researchers, and experts, who praised TRENDS’ international research efforts and its strategy of foreseeing the future through knowledge. They also commended its scholarly publications, social studies, and strategic and foresight research. In recognition of its contribution to promoting culture and intellectual engagement, the Sharjah Book Authority honored TRENDS Group for its knowledge initiatives.
Distinctive Research Publications
In terms of research output, TRENDS Research & Advisory launched 24 new publications, comprising original and translated books, bringing its growing catalogue to more than 550 titles. The new publications address contemporary strategic, security, economic, and technological issues. Among the most notable are National Strategic Planning for Developing a Deterrence Strategy, Hybrid Warfare Post-War: The UAE as a Role Model, Cyberterrorism: The Invisible Enemy and the Reshaping of Global Security, Zayed’s Achievements in the Depths of the Earth, and Strategic Leadership in the Military Establishment: A Theoretical and Applied Study, among others.
A Pavilion Featuring Advanced Technologies
The TRENDS pavilion at the fair stood out for combining academic research and technological innovation. It featured five interactive sections showcasing the work of the Group’s five companies. It incorporated artificial intelligence and interactive robotics, including the Ameca robot, which can communicate with visitors in 50 languages. The pavilion offered visitors an
immersive knowledge experience, enabling them to explore publications and engage with research content in innovative ways. Visitors also had the opportunity to learn about TRENDS’ global network of offices and the specialized research output of TRENDS Barometer and TRENDS Observatory.
Interactive Events
As part of its program of interactive knowledge and intellectual activities, TRENDS Research & Advisory organized a discussion session titled Behind Every Research Project Is a Story at the Group’s pavilion. During the session, TRENDS researchers discussed how they identify questions worth investigating from news, books, or everyday life, and how they develop broad ideas into clear, focused research questions. They also explored the principles guiding research topic selection, methods for finding answers and verifying reliable sources, and the role of editing and peer review in ensuring research quality.
The Group’s pavilion also hosted a panel discussion titled From Books to Algorithms: How We Consume Knowledge Today, organized by TRENDS Global. Speakers explored the rapid transformations taking place in culture and knowledge in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and algorithms.
Building Research and Community Bridges
Dr. Mohamed Abdulla Al Ali, Chairman of TRENDS Group, said that the Group’s seventh participation in the Sharjah International Book Fair reflects its vision of book fairs as more than platforms for showcasing publications. Rather, they serve as living laboratories for generating ideas and building bridges between scientific research and public awareness. He explained that the knowledge partnership with the fair stems from a shared belief that books are catalysts for change and that book fairs provide meeting points for researchers, readers, and ideas, as well as opportunities to translate those ideas into practical applications.
Dr. Al Ali added that regional and international book fairs offer valuable platforms for showcasing TRENDS’ research output, advisory services, and training programs, while facilitating the exchange of expertise with research and cultural institutions and the development of cross-border cooperation networks. He noted that such events also enable the Group to engage directly with readers, researchers, and young people, listen to their interests and questions, and help steer research and training toward issues that are most relevant to societal needs and future challenges.
Analyzing Global Issues
Mohammed Al-Salmi, General Manager of TRENDS Research & Advisory, emphasized that the 24 new publications launched at the Sharjah International Book Fair combine academic rigor with strategic foresight. Produced by young researchers and specialized experts, the publications examine contemporary global strategic transformations, shifting balances of power, deterrence strategies, cybersecurity, and regional security dynamics, bringing TRENDS’ total research output to 550 titles across various fields.
Al-Salmi explained that TRENDS also organized seminars and panel discussions and presented interactive platforms powered by artificial intelligence. These activities reflect a commitment to developing new approaches to promoting a culture of scientific research and knowledge, combining research depth with greater public accessibility. He added that these efforts demonstrate a significant transformation in the role of research institutions and think tanks. Their work is no longer limited to producing studies; they have become active partners in shaping public awareness and fostering dialogue across cultures and societies.
Sustainable Intellectual Impact
Rawdha Al-Marzooqi, Head of the Distribution and Exhibitions Sector at TRENDS Group, noted that the knowledge partnership between the Group and the Sharjah International Book Fair represents a model of integration between culture and scientific research. She emphasized that investment in knowledge should not be measured solely by the number of publications produced, but also by their ability to generate a lasting intellectual and societal impact.
Al-Marzooqi said that TRENDS’ selection as a Knowledge Partner for the second time reflects confidence in its scientific methodology and research rigor. She explained that the Group’s participation was designed to offer a comprehensive, immersive experience combining technology and knowledge. “Our participation goes beyond presenting our latest publications. We also provide visitors with advanced technological tools that facilitate research and access to accurate information, demonstrating that TRENDS’ research output is driven by forward-thinking researchers who are keeping pace with the forces shaping the future,” she added.
