Sharjah Children's Reading Festival to introduce a host of activities, workshops and events that aim to broaden young minds

The Sharjah Children's Reading Festival (SCRF) provides a variety of activities, seminars, and events that seek to widen young minds and develop their abilities this year. The SCRF is bringing together 457 distinguished guests from 66 countries.

The 14th annual SCRF will welcome the general public on Wednesday at Expo Centre Sharjah under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) is the ororganizationehind the cultural festival, which has a 12-day trip for kids, teens, and their families with the theme "Train your Brain."

On Wednesday, the event is available to guests from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. On weekdays, visitors can walk in between 9 am and 8 pm, and on weekends, they'll have an extra hour to enjoy the facility when it's open until 9 pm. The event will start on Fridays at 4 pm and end at 9 pm.

The 457 guests attending this year's cultural spectacular include authors, illustrators, professionals, and influencers who will lead fun activities and workshops and present their most recent creations.

Some of the events included are as follows:

Publisher pavilions, a children's book illustration exhibition, workshops, a cooking corner, a social media station, and a comics corner are the six locations where the events are taking place. Additionally, theatre productions, art exhibits, roaming performances, literary talks, and cultural sessions are all available to kids and families.

Theatrical and artistic performances: 

Children's workshops will include topics in the arts, sports, sciences, and technology. The event will also feature 136 theatrical productions, wandering performances, acrobat acts, and musical concerts featuring 16 guests from 16 different nations.

The kids' play "Alone at Home," presented by SBA, is one of the most noteworthy events. The comic play Akbar the Great Nahi Rahe will be performed at 4 p.m. on May 7 together with the children's performance Masaka Kids Africana, which once again emphasises the festival's focus on diversity. The fun-filled play will be performed at 7:30 pm on May 12 and 13 and at 6 pm on May 14.

Book Fair:

The children's book fair, which brings together 141 publishers in the children's literature field and offers material ranging from novels to instructive books and creative genres, allows visitors to peruse the most recent publications.

Comics Corner: 

Through more than 323 activities, including workshops, panel discussions, and a series of roaming performances led by 15 creatives from 4 countries, kids will have the chance to learn about the world of comics. Acro Adventures and Ninja Tests are the two most noticeable events at the corner, along with seminars and interactive activities featuring 35 local artists and their creations.

Social Media Station:

Wessam Qutob, Chef Faisal Al Khalidi, Azza Al Mughairy, and Jamal Al Mulla are just a few of the influencers and content creators who will lead 72 activities at the Social Media Station that will highlight the most recent methods for producing content for digital platforms and developing content that is appropriate for target audiences.

Cookery Corner:

This edition of the well-liked Cookery Corner features over 33 culinary activities given by 12 famous chefs from nine different nations. The chefs competing in the 14th SCRF edition are from New Zealand, the United States, India, Portugal, Lebanon, Morocco, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Gabon.

Cultural Talks:

SCRF 2023 will hold 21 panel discussions with 68 participants from 21 Arab and international nations. 'The Importance of Developing Emotional Intelligence Skills at Young Age' is on the different cultural agenda, and it will feature speakers Dr. Maya Alhuwi from the UAE, Lorca Sbeity from Lebanon, and Dr. Louise Lambert from Canada.

'The Link Between Artificial Intelligence (AI), Education Curricula, and Children's Books' is another panel discussion on the schedule, and it will feature Dr. Karima Matar Almazroui from the UAE, Egyptian novelist Amal Farah, and Ross Welford from the UK. In the meanwhile, writers Roysten Abel from India, Sharifa Mousa from the UAE, and Dr. Haitham Al Khawaja from Syria will participate in a panel discussion on "Implementing Theatre Studies in Educational Curricula."