Sultan inaugurates Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival
His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in the presence of Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated on Wednesday, the 13th edition of Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF), which is organised by Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) from May 11 to 22, at the Expo Centre Sharjah.
Upon his arrival, the Ruler of Sharjah was received by Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence; Sheikh Salem Bin Abdul Rahman Al Qasimi, Head of the Ruler’s Office; Sheikh Sultan Bin Abdullah Bin Salem Al Qasimi, Director of the Department of Statistics and Community Development, and a number of heads of local departments, senior officials, writers, publishers, and representatives of the media.
Atertheribbon-cuting,sheikhsultanwatcheda singing performance by a group of Sharjah children and toured the various corridors of the festival.
He was acquainted with the various activities and events offered by the festival for children, as well as the pavilions of the educational and cultural entities participating in the festival.
Sharjahrulerwasaccompaniedbytwochildren, Mohammed Sami Saif Al Haj and Fatima Ahmed Obaid Sandal during his tour, as he listened to detailed explanations of the participation of the authorities in the festival.
Dr Sheikh Sultan visited the pavilion of the Emirates School Foundation, Sharjah Education Council, Sharjah Private Education Authority, and the Ministry of Education, where he was familiarised with means and tools of teaching children, in addition to the various educational publications provided by authorities.
He also visited a number of pavilions of government institutions working in the field of publishing, support, care and education of children. He was briefed on the pavilion of the rubu’ qa rn foundation for Creating Leaders and Innovators, Contemporary Crats Council (Irthi), Sharjah Police General Command, Department of Culture, Kalimat Group, Sharjah Heritage Institute, Department of Statistics and Community Development, Health Education Department and the Child Safety Department of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, UAE Board on Books for Young People, Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, as well as a number of pavilions.
Sheikhsul tan bin muhammad reviewed a number of activities dedicated to developing children’s skills in various scientific and creative fields.
Dr Sheikh Sultan concluded his tour by visiting the Sharjah Children’s Book Illustrations Exhibition, where he was introduced to the exhibition’s drawings by participants from the United Arab Emirates and various countries of the world.
Held under the patronage of Dr Sheikh Sultan and Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, SCRF is the largest children’s reading event in the region.
This year’s vibrant 12-day agenda is packed with more than 1,900 activities, including 1,140 child activities, 120 cultural activities and 130 artistic performances and theatre productions. Regionally and internationally recognised cultural personalities including renowned authors and poets, publishers, artists, movie actors, inspirational young prodigies, culinary experts, social media influencers and others will present the exciting range of activities.
For the first time ever, SCRF 2022 will unveil the Robot Zoo, which is an imposing exhibition of eight animal robots built to resemble creatures in the wild. Based on the book The Robot Zoo by London-based publisher Marshall Editions, the zoo is designed to pique the interest of children curious to know more about animal behaviour.
A major highlight of SCRF’S 13th edition is the inaugural Booksellers Conference, a first-of-itskind event in the world, which will convene more than 200 regional and international booksellers, distributors and publishers to network, explore new market opportunities, and discuss ways to strengthen the industry.
True to tradition, SCRF will feature a stellar lineup of 43 international authors from 21 countries who will host 120 engaging cultural activities.
Prominentnamesincludeemiratiwritersmaryam Al Mazrouei, Asma Al Zarooni and Fatima Sultan Al Mazrouei; Radiya Hafiza, Uk-based writer of Rumaysa: A Fairytale and Rumaysa: Ever Ater; and Egyptian wordsmith Omar Taher, author of Kohl wa Habhan.
Sharjah Ruler visits a number of pavilions of government entities working in the field of publishing, support, care and education of children; the fair is being held at Expo Centre from May 11 to 22.
All eyes are now turning to Sharjah as the 13th edition of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) opened its doors on Wednesday. The annual festival is eagerly awaited by children and their parents, many of whom read to their wards at home to instil a love for books and the writen word. Such habits have a positive impact on their lives and strengthen the bonding between them.
What makes SCRF such an appealing destination for parents and children? What do they look forward to doing at the festival each year?
BUY BOOKS: SCRF lets children feast their eyes on a sea of books, leaf through its colourful pages, and persuade their parents to buy a handful. A world of imagination opens as they hop from one pavilion to another. “Every year, SCRF helps find a way for stories to enter the hearts of children and elevate the status of books and reading in their lives. As a mother, it also makes me believe that the screen hasn’t won yet,” said a Dubai-based mother of two toddlers.
A couple of Sharjah-based mums who bring their children to SCRF every year remembered the fun they had at story readings and workshops in past editions
A working mother from Ajman concurs that reading has changed her life for the beter, and she hopes her two boys will benefit the same way. “Cultural festivals like SCRF stimulate children to take up books and reading, and I want to catch them young,” she said.
WORKSHOPS AND STORYTELLING: Participating in the fun workshops and activities is high on the agenda of most children and their parents. A couple of Sharjah-based mums who bring their children to SCRF every year remembered the fun they had at story readings and workshops in past editions. According to them, these sessions also encourage children to read more, experiment with interactive puzzles and activity books apart from enjoying peer interactions.
MASCOTS AND GIFTS: As a dedicated children’s event, SCRF helps young patrons explore the place in a safe manner. In true festival spirit, they can interact with the mascots and other literary and costumed characters who appear to have just stepped out of storybooks. This precious time away from gadgets and cartoons is rewarded further when they receive git hampers or take home their creative efforts at workshops.
All this, available for free, makes SCRF a spectacular 12-day fun ride for children and young adults! SCRF 2022 is running its course until May 22 in Expo Centre Sharjah, and is open from 9am – 8pm on weekdays, 9am – 9pm on weekends, and 4pm – 9pm on Friday.
An earlier report says the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) will raise the curtain on a whopping 130 performances of four live shows and two theatrical plays during its 13th edition, set to take place over 12 days from May 11 — 22 in Expo Centre Sharjah. The lineup of show-stopping productions have been included in the festival’s offerings to spark the younger generation’s interest and curiosity in the field of performing arts.
Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), under the directives of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and his wife Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), SCRF 2022 carries the theme ‘Create Creativity’.
The quirky characters and fantastical storylines from The Magic School Bus will be brought to life in a groundbreaking musical adaptation of the ongoing edutainment Scholastic book series, whose popularity transcends generations. Join Miss Frizzle and her class as they board the eponymous big yellow bus and embark on impossible adventures through space and time to learn about science through catchy showtunes and energetic dance routines.
Audiences at SCRF will be wowed by a unique performance staged by the Brick People, a troupe of entertainers featuring life-sized toy characters, while a show titled The Magic Lab Show, and presented by scientists and lab technicians, will teach the audience the principles of aerodynamics and thermal energy.