SHARJAH, 3rd May, 2023 (WAM) – H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi (Supreme Council Member and Ruler) opened on Wednesday the 14th Annual Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival.
The largest festival in the region, dedicated to stimulating creativity in young minds to bring them closer with books, will run for 12 days in Expo Centre Sharjah until May 14. It has the theme “Train Your Brain”.
H.H. H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan received by H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi was received by H.H.
The Ruler visited the Festival, showcasing the 141 Arab publishers and international exhibitors this year. He was also briefed about the 1,732 SCRF events that will celebrate the theme “Train Your Brain”, which is being led by 457 authors and illustrators from 66 different countries.
Dr. Sheikh Sultan also visited the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, the UAE Board on Books for Young People, and the Sharjah Education Authority, as well as the Pavilions of the Ministry of Education and House of Wisdom.
The Ruler of Sharjah visited the pavilions of the Emirates Publishers Association (EPA), the Department of Culture and the Emirates School Establishment, as well as the Kalimat Foundation and the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority. He also visited the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Creating Future Leaders and Innovators. Each of the pavilions provided His Highness with a briefing on the activities that they had curated to help develop the young people’s skills and personalities.
Sheikh Sultan received a briefing on the agenda of SCRF and its participating entities, as well as the various exhibitions, creative and educational platforms, that it offers children, youth and families.
The Sharjah ruler also visited the Comics Corner which is home to 323 events, including workshops and panel discussions. A series of roaming performances led by 15 creatives representing 4 countries will also be held.
SCRF 2023 aims to support Sharjah in its efforts to create a comprehensive environment for reading and creativity that is focused on educating children and youth and refining their talents. The program also targets families to motivate their children to use books for learning, building values and preserving their authentic identity.
SCRF offers children and their families the chance to purchase the newest titles of children’s literature. 93 Arab publishers and 48 foreign ones will be exhibiting the latest works at the festival. This edition features the UK, Syria and Jordan as the top participating countries. Other notable participants include Australia, India, Pakistan Algeria, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia. The UAE topped the list this year with 77 publishers. Lebanon was second with 12 publishers.
The festival, which is highly anticipated, will host 946 events, 136 performances and theatrical shows, as well as a variety of workshops for kids covering art, sport, science and technology. The festival will host 136 performances of theatre, roaming shows and music concerts, led by 16 artists. The festival’s most noteworthy activities include the comedy show Akbar the Great Nahi Rahe, performed in Hindi and Urdu, and the children’s show Masaka Kids Africana.
The 14th SCRF is hosting 68 guests from 21 different countries. These include artists, writers and creators who will host a variety of cultural events, such as panel discussions, that will shed light on the most pressing issues of our time. There will also be sessions aimed at developing communication skills in children, and nurturing their intellectual and creative abilities. The Cookery Corner, on the other hand, will host over 33 culinary events presented by 13 chefs from nine countries.
Social Media Station hosts 72 activities, led by content creators and influencers, aimed at all age groups.
