Sharjah festival tackles bullying
Interactive workshops foster safe and positive school environment
Discussions also revolve around motives and causes behind bullying, taking empathy and being mindful of other person’s feelings, whether they are the victim or the bully.
The Child Safety Department (CSD) in Sharjah, an affiliate of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), is helping raise awareness on the crucial issue of bullying through a series of interactive workshops at the ongoing 13th Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) at Expo Centre Sharjah.
Led by social worker Takia Yahya Ahmed, the workshops — held in partnership with Dubai Foundation for Women and Children for grades 3-7 students — are “imparting effective strategies in preventing instances of bullying and offering constructive approaches in responding to the situation through positive thinking, empathy and selfcomposure”.
Discussions also revolve around motives behind bullying, taking empathy and being mindful of other person’s feelings, whether they are the victim or the bully. Ahmed added, when confronted by a bully, it is best to “remain calm and composed, in order to respond in an appropriate manner”.
Meanwhile, Beirut-based publisher Dar Al Saqi is raising awareness among children about the need to challenge stereotypes and value compassion.
Titles on display
Titles displayed by the publisher provide early education on socially conscious topics, including ‘The Mystery of the Glass Ball’ by Syrian author Maria Daadoush that teaches children to embrace cultural diversity.
There is also ‘The Red Line’ by Samar Mahfouz Barraj aimed at instilling the concept of body autonomy in children at an early age. While Egyptian author Samar Taher’s book ‘I Dream of Becoming a Doctor’ is part of a series by Dar Al Saqi that encourages children to think outside the box when planning their future careers.
Young girls on a school field trip recently had a therapeutic early-morning ‘Yoga Balance’ session.