In her book «Tell Them She Is Here… In Search of the Queen of Mleiha», Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi presents a research work divided into two main parts. The first part explores her vision of life, land, and self, addressing concepts of belonging, family, culture, and lineage, reflecting her journey in search of a human meaning connected to roots and identity. The second part is a scientific study on the female kingdoms in the Arabian Peninsula, particularly in the Mleiha region, based on archaeological finds and ancient coins, most notably «Abi'el» coins, which point to a dynasty of queens whose names were inscribed on the coins discovered at the historical Mleiha site. The book chronicles Sheikha Bodour's intellectual and field journey in discovering herself and her cultural identity through experience, travel, and mountain climbing, as well as through in-depth studies in her specialization of archaeology, leading to an exploration of Mleiha's history and local culture and the diverse social, human, and cultural heritage it holds. In this journey, Sheikha Bodour connects personal and collective memory with scientific research that reveals the role of Arab women in early historical stages through kingdoms they led at various periods. The book also sheds light on the stories of several Arab queens known to history, such as Zenobia, Balkis, the «Lunar Queens Builders», and Queen Shams, and concludes with a proposed map that distributes Arab queens and the kingdoms they ruled across the regions of the Arabian Peninsula. This work combines research precision with a cultural vision that seeks to reinterpret Arab history from a new perspective and in a new style. The work is based on a wide range of references and sources that combine ancient Arabic literary and poetic texts, such as the poems of Al-Mutanabbi and Abu Nuwas, with quotations from world literature by major authors such as Lorca and Campbell, as well as archaeological and religious sources. Sheikha Bodour also cites quotes from Sufi heritage that enriched the book's content. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and CEO of «Kalimat» Group and a Goodwill Ambassador for UNESCO in the field of education and book culture, launched her new book during the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair. In the book's introduction, she wrote: «This book is not a passing tale, but an invocation, a supplication, and a luminous tapestry woven from the threads of memory and myth. It is the manifestation of my roots—roots that run deep in the soil of ancestors, intertwined with soul, sorrow, nostalgia, and love».
