Writers workshop brings kids’ rights to the fore
sharjah — The latest workshop organised by the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) tackled the fundamentals of writing for children and young adults, focusing on children’s rights and safety. Prominent Emirati women writers were part of the eighth annual edition of ‘Books Made in UAE’ workshop series.
This specialised literary training series was started by the UAEBBY in 2012 to encourage the creation of high-quality Emirati-made children’s and young adults’ books, written and illustrated by local writers and illustrators. Their underlying objective is to make homegrown literature, which reflects the cultural values and interests of the young people of the UAE, available to young readers.
Over an intensive five-day training course held in Sharjah, workshop trainer Fatima Sharafeddine, an award-winning children’s author of over 130 books from Lebanon, exposed participants to various issues regarding the techniques and art of creative writing, as well as to children’s rights, based on the Wadeema’s law and on the UN resolution of children’s rights.
“It comes as no surprise that Sharjah — a Unicef Baby and Childfriendly City as well as the Unesco World Book Capital 2019 — will merge these internationally recognised competencies into a spectacular UAEBBY workshop programme to pass them on to current and future generations of Emiratis. The UAEBBY has been making stellar efforts to raise the standards of children’s literature produced locally in the UAE.”
Emirati writer Nadia Al Najjar said: “This is the first time I’ve tackled the subject of child rights and protection in my writing. The workshop has made me realise how powerful our work can be in creating awareness and building a more just and stable future for our children.
“Children’s literature is a steppingstone to a bright future – the genre has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, thanks to numerous initiatives like the UAEBBY’s Books Made in UAE workshop series.”
She added: “My story tackles the subject of the freedom of expression because every child has the right to choose and express their opinion. It is important to encourage children to do this to enhance their self-confidence and ability to make their own decisions in the future.”
Workshop participant Badria Al Shamsi emphasised that books written for children should be meaningful and full of virtues. “I write books that make children laugh and at the same time, teach them a social value,” she noted that her dream is to make the world a better place for every child through her writing that will empower young readers by making them realise that they have the
The UAEBBY has been making stellar efforts to raise the standards of children’s literature produced locally in the UAE.” Fatima Sharafeddine, workshop trainer
My story tackles the subject of the freedom of expression because every child has the right to choose and express their opinion.
Nadia Al Najjar, Emirati writer
I utilised this workshop’s platform to tackle this idea of encouraging children to choose freely according to their personality.” Badria Al Shamsi, workshop participant
freedom to choose what is right.
“I utilised this workshop’s platform to tackle this idea of encouraging children to choose freely according to their personality. I discussed the story of a girl who wishes to change her name – a decision several societies don’t allow children to take. My story aims to encourage children to have a say without fear of restrictive conventions. This will boost their self-confidence to enable them find their purpose in life.”