Sharjah Children's Reading Festival To Spark Creativity And Learning In Its 15th Edition

The Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF), a beacon of knowledge, creativity, art, and innovation, is set to mark its 15th edition from May 1 to May 12 at the Expo Centre Sharjah. Organized by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), this 12-day extravaganza promises an action-packed schedule for young readers, artists, creatives, and their families. With millions of books, including the latest releases in children’s and Young Adult (YA) literature from around the world, SCRF 2024 stands as the region’s premier cultural and artistic platform.

Attendees can look forward to a rich program featuring theatrical performances, culinary demonstrations, workshops in STEM, social media, music, and more. The festival will also host exciting competitions, activities, animation events among other attractions. A literary program will facilitate discussions between Arab and international authors, publishers, sports and media personalities. Additionally, book signing events, storytelling sessions, reading activities for children, and literary workshops will be part of the festival's offerings.

SCRF continues to provide a world-class networking platform for publishers, booksellers, literary agents, authors, illustrators, artists, librarians, cultural and literary entities as well as governments worldwide. This platform encourages connections and collaborations aimed at enhancing the local and regional publishing and creative industries landscape. The winners of prestigious accolades such as the Sharjah Children's Book Award, Books for Visually Impaired Children Award, and the Sharjah Audio Book Award will be announced during the festival.

Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, highlighted the festival's alignment with the vision of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi and H.H. Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi. He emphasized SCRF's role in furthering human development and advancing intellectual and creative capacities as foundational elements of sustainable progress in the UAE. "SCRF assumes a pivotal role in Sharjah's dedication to nurturing knowledgeable and conscious generations," Al Ameri added.

Khawla Al Mujaini, General Coordinator of SCRF, spoke on the festival's diverse agenda aimed at contributing to the intellectual and creative development of the younger generation. "Through a diverse array of cultural, entertainment, and artistic activities, our aim is to cultivate their skills," Al Mujaini stated. She further elaborated on the festival’s goal to unearth talents across various domains and foster collaborative endeavors among writers, illustrators, and publishers to elevate the children's literature industry.

The SCRF 2024 not only promises to be a celebration of literature but also a platform that nurtures talent and creativity among young minds. With its comprehensive program that spans cultural appreciation to professional networking in the literary field, SCRF is poised to make a significant impact on the intellectual growth of children and young adults in the region.

With inputs from WAM