Sharjah fest hosts child engineers
SHARJAH: A group of O8 children was given the opportunity to become young engineers during a workshop on the third day of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, which runs until April O8, at Expo Centre Sharjah.
qhe hour-long Bridge Design workshop was part of the Nmth edition of the festival, themed “Your Future Just a Book Away.”
qhe children, aged between six and NM, were asked about engineering and what the world would be like without engineers. qhey were told about vital elements brought about by engineers, such as air-conditioned buildings, airplanes, cars, cellphones, computers and television sets. As they listened attentively during the workshop, they learnt that mechanical engineers are inventors, who use math and science to invent and design machines and solve realworld problems. qhey guessed the different kinds of engineers, including chemical, electrical, aerospace, mechanical, software, civil, biomedical and environment.
SHARJAH: In a first of its kind initiative in the Arabian Gulf, the Sharjah Museums Authority (SMA) will provide tours moderated by people of determination with hearing disabilities. The first sign language guided tour will start on Monday, April 23, from 4.30pm to 6.30pm. Tours will take place once every three months.
This initiative comes as an extension of SMA’S vision to be a key contributor in raising awareness about the importance of museums in society and to promote museums as an attractive cultural and educational destination for all.
As part of the new programme, titled “The Outstanding Guide in Sign Language,” the SMA is offering a thorough training programme targeting deaf graduates to provide them with the skills they need to be outstanding museum guides.
The initiative has been created as part of the SMA’S participation in Deaf Week and its commitment to encouraging integration by people of determination throughout society.
As part of their training the tour guides, with hearing disabilities, will learn about the importance of museums and the vital role they play themselves in helping to create an enjoyable learning experience for visitors.
The tours will not only help to empower the guides, it will also give the visitors with hearing disabilities the opportunity to learn about the legacy of Sharjah and its history by an interactive communication between the visitors and guides.
Visitors will be shown the variety of different artefacts, currencies, jewellery, pottery and weapons, some of which are more than 125,000 years old, that have been unearthed in and around Sharjah and are now on show in the museum.
Manal Ataya, Director General of Sharjah Museums Authority, said: “SMA provides diverse experiences for all visitors at its museums, including people of determination. Sharjah Museums Authority cares for all its visitors as part of our social responsibility to be accessible to all.”