UAEBBY's Interactive Shadow Theatre Programme Engages Children With Classic Tales

The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY) is hosting a series of interactive events for children and young adults throughout July. Collaborating with House of Wisdom in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi Children’s Library, the summer programme is part of the "Read. Dream. Create." campaign. This initiative aims to foster storytelling skills, encourage creative thinking, and provide an educational experience enriched by the power of stories.

A notable feature of this programme is the weekly shadow theatre series called Kalila wa Dimna Summer Camp. Held every Tuesday from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at House of Wisdom, these sessions introduce children aged 8 to 12 to tales from the classic Kalila wa Dimna through shadow puppetry and live narration. These performances aim to spark curiosity and convey values like wisdom, courage, and cooperation.

Emirati and Arab storytellers such as Mohammed Dashti and Samia Ayish lead these sessions. Each week, they present a new tale, encouraging children to retell and reconstruct narratives in their own way. This approach promotes active learning through creativity and imagination.

The book Kalila wa Dimna is a cornerstone of classical world literature, renowned for its timeless wisdom conveyed through animal fables. Translated into numerous languages since the 8th century, it holds a significant place in Arab cultural heritage. The symbolic tales offer life lessons in a straightforward yet impactful manner, serving as an educational reference for promoting moral thinking among young readers.

Art Workshop: A Ship Towards Dreams

In Abu Dhabi, UAEBBY celebrated World Youth Skills Day with an art workshop titled A Ship Towards Dreams at the Abu Dhabi Children’s Library. Led by Fatima Al Ameri, this session invited children aged 6 to 14 to design symbolic ships representing their dreams and personal values. Through guided artistic exploration, participants visualised their goals in a creative setting.

These initiatives reflect UAEBBY's commitment to creating safe learning environments where children can explore identities, imagine freely, and develop life skills. By blending literature with hands-on artistic tools, the programme reconnects young audiences with storytelling values in a fun and transformative way.

With inputs from WAM