Sharjah: The 19th edition of the annual Sharjah Heritage Days (SHD) festival, on its second day, continues to dazzle visitors with wonderful cultural, artistic and entertainment performances.

Amid a remarkable turnout from the public and lovers of ancient heritage, the event blends authentic, and traditional culture with today’s modern culture, including scientific developments and technological acceleration, to confirm that the future is only made by thought. The orthodoxy based on deep-rooted values ​​and concepts of aspiration for the best, comes through the blending of the past with the present and their interaction.

The festival, in its nineteenth edition, under the slogan ‘Heritage and the Future’, includes many interesting and lively events and programs that focus on the heritage of people and their culture. Organized by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH) and under the generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah - may God protect him -.

Over the course of 18 days, the festival is taking place in the Sharjah's heritage area in the heart of Sharjah from March 10-28. In addition, accompanying events will be organized successively throughout the month in Kalba, Khorfakkan, Dibba Al-Hisn, Al Dhaid and Al Hamriya.

Folk dances and interactive workshops

The festival’s location in Sharjah's heritage area has been decorated with an abundance of folklore and folklore dances and local, Arab, and international songs.

Performances by The Al Liwa Band, Al Habban Band and Al Harbiya Band have been impressing audiences, while the Armenian band’s dances have attracted the state, the guest of honor of the festival and lovers of international folk art in the SHD Theater. Mesmerizing dances have also included the Andima dance from the Republic of Lithuania, the dances of Russian bands, and an Iraqi session.

Moving on from music and dancing to literature, the children and adolescents in the ‘Bint Al-Matar’ corner, run by the International School of Storytelling, had various interactive workshops, including the children's storyteller (the storyteller Amira) and many educational and theatrical programs.  Competitions and daily entertainment programs for young and old also took place in different locations inside and outside the arena, while the Heritage Craft Village hosted the "Ghars" training workshop, which dealt with the Talli craft from the sisterly Arab Republic of Egypt and lasted for two days.

The Cultural Café: Cultural Heritage and the Horizon of the Future

Within the Cultural Café, His Excellency Dr Abdulaziz Al Musallam, Chairman of Sharjah Institute for Heritage, and Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee of Sharjah Heritage Days, Dr Omar Abdulaziz, Dr Saeed Yaqtin and Salama Al-Raqi participated in a symposium entitled ‘Cultural Heritage and the Horizon of the Future’. This fascinating symposium was ably moderated by Dr Mini Bounama, Chairman of the Cultural Committee for Sharjah Heritage Days.

Starting the symposium was His Excellency Dr Abdulaziz Al Musallam. His Excellency explained how  this year’s slogan of ‘Heritage and the Future’  stemmed from the idea that Sharjah, in its renaissance and comprehensive development, flies with strong wings that represent authenticity and modernity, in a deep adherence to the values ​​of the identity of the past and a confident aspiration that creates and anticipates the future.

Al Musallam stressed that this approach is embodied in the emirate’s interest in preserving heritage and authentic identity, whilst embracing the development of advanced scientific and research institutions and the most prestigious centers of innovation, technology, space and astronomy.

His Excellency pointed out that the heritage of nations and people, with its authenticity, vitality and presence, is the safe bridge for a smooth and successful passage to the future. Al Musallam went on to explain that the relationship between heritage and the future is a pivotal question that reflects the attraction between restoring the requirements of cultural heritage in the past and linking them as keys to dealing with individuals and people with current challenges and new data and knowledge.

Also, in the House of Arab Heritage, the audience had a date with the Arabic calligraphy workshop. Presented daily by the Emirati calligrapher Dr Ali Al Hammadi, participants learnt this beautiful art by getting acquainted with the basics of the cursive calligraphy and the difference between that and other fonts such as the third and the Naskh. Participants were also introduced to the best tools used to practice calligraphy, types of ink and pens.

In this context, Al Hammadi explained how Arabic calligraphy is a timeless and well-established part of cultural heritage. He went on to describe how a single calligraphy expresses the culture and identity of the nation, and how many high political functions have been associated with it in the history of Arabs and Muslims. Al Hammadi called for the importance of re-introducing calligraphy learning within the school curricula, especially in light of how modern technology, such as smart phones, has reduced the use of handwriting.

Al Dhaid Activities

The activities of the Sharjah Heritage Days will be launched in the city of Al Dhaid in the Al Dhaid Fort, from the 13th to the 19th of this March, at 5:00 pm which will include the SIH’s Corner, and the Workshops Corner, which consists of 11 heritage workshops for children and adults. In addition, the Cultural Café and Academic Administration Corner will feature lectures such as an introduction to professional diplomas and management academy.

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