His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, officially launched the first conference on Wednesday. Additionally present was Sharjah's deputy ruler, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi.
The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has produced the SAC, a first-of-its-kind event in the area, which is taking place alongside the 14th annual Sharjah Children's Reading Festival (SCRF) in Expo Centre Sharjah till May 5. The SAC's jam-packed schedule is being led by international business titans.
Sheikh Sultan was given an overview of the conference's events and workshop spaces while touring the venue. During the three-day event, 18 internationally known creatives in the industry, including artists, technicians, creators, and producers, would be present in these spaces.
The Sharjah Ruler was introduced to the state-of-the-art tools, resources, and leading advice from top industry professionals during the tour, enabling them to expand their horizons across the fields of comics and "manga," filmmaking, digital artwork, and learn about the most recent developments in the world of animation.
'Notes for Dreaming', a concert by the 60-member Florence Pops Orchestra that included works from the illustrious Ghibli and Walt Disney Studios, was presented during the inaugural ceremony to the Sharjah Ruler.
The three-day event, which is put on by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) in collaboration with the Bergamo Animation Days (BAD) festival in Italy, features a full schedule of seminars, workshops, masterclasses, and panel discussions covering many facets of the industry. It also features film screenings and meetings with industry stars, such as John Nevarez; a renowned figure in the animation industry with over 25 years of experience at animation giants like Disney, Pixar and Sony Pictures Animation; Sandro Cleuzo, an Annie Award-winning 2D animator and character designer, known for such works as Mary Poppins Returns, The Iron Giant, Fantasia 2000 and Tarzan; and Japanese Takahiro Yoshimatsu, widely considered one of the best anime directors in the world, most famously known for Dragon Ball Z, Overlord, Vampire Hunter D, and Hunter X Hunter.
