His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, officially opened the much anticipated 14th annual Sharjah Children's Reading Festival (SCRF 2023) on Wednesday.
The largest festival of its type in the area, with the focus on encouraging young people's creativity and bringing them closer to literature, is taking place at Expo Centre Sharjah for 12 days until May 14 under the theme "Train your brain."
The Sharjah Ruler was received by Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah; Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence; Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, Founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, and Immediate Past President of International Publishers Association (IPA); Sheikh Salem bin Abdulrahman Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Ruler’s Office; Sheikh Faisal bin Saud Al Qasimi, Director of Sharjah Airport Authority; and HE Dr Nevine El-Kilany, Egyptian Minister of Culture, along with a number of governmental and educational entities representatives and directors.
He was informed on the 1,732 activities commemorating SCRF's subject of "Train your Brain," which will be conducted by 457 writers, artists, publishers, illustrators, and specialists from 66 countries, as he toured the festival and saw the 141 Arab and international publishers exhibiting this year.
In addition to the establishments of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and the UAE Board on Books for Young People, he also visited the pavilions of the Ministry of Education, the House of Wisdom, the Sharjah Private Education Authority, and the Department of Social Services.
Along with the Kalimat Foundation, the Sharjah Radio and Television Authority, and the Rubu' Qarn Foundation for Creating Future Leaders and Innovators, he also paid visits to the exhibitions of the Emirates Publishers Association, the Department of Culture, and the Emirates School Establishment (ESE). His Highness was informed by the representatives at each of these pavilions on the most notable events they had planned for the festival to develop the abilities and personalities of SCRF's young guests.
Sheikh Sultan received an overview of SCRF's plans and collaborating organisations, as well as the variety of exhibitions, educational opportunities, and creative spaces it provides for kids, teenagers, and their families.
Before visiting the Sharjah Children's Book Illustration Exhibition, which brings together hundreds of illustrators from around the world, the Sharjah Ruler stopped by the Comics Corner, which will host 323 activities, including workshops, panel discussions, and a series of roaming shows led by 15 creatives from 4 countries.
The goal of SCRF 2023 is to assist Sharjah in its initiatives to establish a rich reading and creative environment that prioritises educating and honing the abilities of children and youth. It also aims to collaborate with families who participate in a variety of activities to encourage their kids to read and utilise books to learn, develop virtues, and maintain their true selves.
Over the course of 12 days, SCRF will give kids and families the chance to purchase the newest children's book releases from 93 Arab and 48 foreign publishers who will be showcasing their most recent books at the festival. The UK, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the US, Australia, India, Pakistan, Algeria, and Iraq are among the top nations taking part in this edition. Lebanon comes in second on the list this year with 12 publishers, followed by the UAE at the top with 77 publishers.
