Alswedi: "There is still a lot of exclusive cultural surprises for the visitors of the festival."
- Sharjah embodied " a cultural case " and that contributed to choose it the capital of Islamic culture for 2014.
- We aim to increase the festival visitors by 25%.
- The festival hosts a group of Arab ministers, intellectuals and writers.
- study the experience of satellite television channels specializing in children's programs.
- Children with challenges have the preference in all events of the festival.
Ahmed Mahmoud Al-Astal
The choice of Sharjah as the Capital of the Arab Culture is not an achievement finished with the circulation of the title between brotherly Arab cities. But, Sharjah, embodied " a cultural case " capable of development and globalization. This case, made Sharjah, On the one hand: an advanced cultural site on the level of the Islamic world, by choosing it as the capital of Islamic culture in 2014, and on the other hand: it produced a cultural monuments which become as Remarkable annual tradition. In the previous two sessions, there was “the first Sharjah reading Festival” held in (2006) and the second in (2008)", organized by the children's centers in Sharjah.
In the two sessions of “Sharjah reading Festival”, the festival has achieved tangible results, in terms of spread and popularization of family culture, , and the culture of the Child, and establishment of a number of cultural literary, artistic and educational events, and to enhance the festival audience culturally and socially, not only in the UAE, but across the Gulf Cooperation Council as well; due to its attracting to widespread sectors, from individuals and cultural, social, educational, media and artistic community institutions and bodies, governmental and private, in addition to the participation of a wide selection, from writers and composers, story writers, poets and intellectuals, and notable participation for the largest publishing, printing and distribution houses, and libraries in the Arab world, as well, intensity presence of family and child and their interaction and participation in the activities and events of the festival; for being the principal target of this festival.
About the festival session in 2010, says Ihsan Misbah Al swedi, the General Director of general department of children's centers in Sharjah, which is the organizer of the Festival says that Sharjah reading Festival 2010 will be different from the previous two sessions, in terms of excellence and richness and diversity of performance, events and planning to increase the proportion of festival visitors by 25% from the previous two sessions, as forecast target.
The festival goals:
When the organizer of the festival decided, to held a cultural festival for families and children, it takes into account the achievement of some goals which consistent with the nature of Sharjah and its cultural identity, and the nature of the target audience; Therefore, the popularization of culture and literature related to the upbringing of children and young people to love reading and knowledge, and the development of scientific curiosity, and enhance the reading skills and encourage it, and raise awareness of the importance of reading and its impact on the individual and society, and emphasizing the role of the family in encouraging children to read, and to provide innovative and effective methods enough to stimulate the children to read, and support the movement of the publication of children books, all that goals were present at the department of children centers in Sharjah, as confirmed by AlSwedi.
The festival events:
The program of the festival, includes a variety of events and activities, each event achieve one goal or more from the festival goals. Sharjah Children's Book exhibition, is one of the main events of Sharjah reading Festival III. Al Swedi says, about the exhibition: "we aim to provide all that is new and useful from the finest human products of short stories, , scientific and literary, which simulates the child and develop his mental and psychological abilities, and nourish his thought and enrich his information, and the expansion of his mind, and to learn creative, analytical and critical thinking as well, through hosting a large group of publishing houses which concerned with the children book inside and outside the state. "
Sharjah Children's Book Forum, is one of the main events in the festival, too. The Forum hosts a group of experts, thinkers, speakers and who interested in working in children's literature and culture and dissemination of children's books. Over two days, the forum will discuss a number of themes and topics on the book and culture of the Child and the mechanisms of their development, and the challenges facing this field, and examine the possibilities of using new ways in terms of print and electronic publishing, and the using of the latest techniques of modern publishing, which can be beneficial to the child and the family and society. The interlocutors will discuss in the Forum: child communication, in light of the experience of the satellite channels specializing in children's programs, and study their effects and their contribution in child development, and provide suggestions and recommendations in this regard.
Al Swedi Indicates, to the effectiveness of educational and entertainment corners, and says: "There is a group of corners and suites that are designed, in particular, in order to develop the mental and psychological abilities of children, from the modern educational tools that combine fun and entertainment on the one hand, and the scientific and cultural interest on the other hand" . Not lost on the organizers to allocate an opportunity to the child who suffers from mobility or mental challenges or disabilities for self-development, which provides them with the skills and abilities to reduce any challenges, to the least. The festival provides in all its activities: Book Fair, the Forum, and entertainment and educational corners, and others, something which suits this segment of children. In the book fair, for example, there are specialized books for children: books, encyclopedias, magazines, stories and plays ..
And by extension, for the events of Sharjah reading Festival, Al Swedi says about the effectiveness of: training workshops: "in conjunction with Sharjah International Children's Book exhibition, a series of training workshops will be organized, which aims to hone the skills of participants, including children, parents, educators and those interested in a variety of topics related to the festival activity. " the training workshop will be differ in their topics and fields, which was submitted by a group of trainers, experts and intellectuals, there are training workshops to teach children thinking skills, motivation, creativity, story writing and painting, and workshops for physical health and psychological health awareness, and a number of training workshops which contribute in the development of the child's personality.
The culture campaign, is the fifth event from the events of Sharjah reading Festival III, and this campaign will accompany the festival works and the temporal and spatial period; the schools and universities as educational institutions, will organize a number of lectures, seminars, forums and conferences, which aimed to raise awareness of the importance of reading. In addition, the festival will visit a range of places and institutions in the vicinity of Sharjah Emirate ; to promote and publicize the goals of the festival and the its events.
The visits delegations will be headed by, educators and leaders from the local community, known by their interests and contributions in the field of children's culture and literature, as well as members of delegations who will be experienced and competent.
"Let's read," competition is consider as one of the event related to educational, recreational and motivation aspects at the same time, and aims to encourage children in all stages of the age to read, and exposure to new sources of different learning resources, and how to use them. This competition, Al Swedi says, is the third competition launched by Sharjah reading Festival III, 2010, and they are: "Let's read," competition, "reader’s family " competition, "Golden Book" competition. In exchange for that, too, there are a variety of incentive awards; to stimulate the desire to read in the community, and to spread the reading culture and links them with tangible moral and cultural returns and improve children's book industry: form and content, objectives and goals, and explore the future elites in various fields, seeing the distinguished children in all of the festival events.
In the final explanation, put forward by Alswedi, says: "the festival will host a group of Arab ministers, intellectuals, writers and activists in the field of children's books, in order to participate and attend the festival events."
Alswedi sees, that this official and private participation, and the auspices of individuals and community elite and institutions to Sharjah reading Festival at its third session, is necessary; to give the momentum and the importance and cultural value to the festival to reach its goals and objectives on the one hand, and emphasizing the "cultural status", which Sharjah characterized by it and sponsored it On the other hand.
Although, all the explanations provided by the alswedi, she stresses: "There is still a lot of cultural surprises, which will be exclusive and special for audience and visitors of the festival, which she describes them, as a special audience, deserve a special festival as well. "
