Sharjah House Of Wisdom Explores Cultural Partnerships With Portugal Ministry Of Culture

House of Wisdom in Sharjah hosted Portugal’s Secretary of State for Culture, Alberto Fernando Santos, for talks focused on deeper cultural and knowledge cooperation. The visit, attended by Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, explored future partnerships in publishing, research, knowledge exchange and intercultural communication between Sharjah entities and Portuguese cultural institutions.

During the visit, Marwa Al Aqroubi, Executive Director of House of Wisdom, welcomed the Portuguese delegate and outlined the centre’s role in Sharjah’s cultural ecosystem. The discussions highlighted how institutional collaboration can support students, scholars and wider communities through shared programmes and access to specialised knowledge resources.

Sheikh Fahim emphasised that Sharjah views such cooperation as part of a wider global strategy using culture and knowledge as soft-power tools that can support long-term development. The meeting therefore addressed ways to formalise expertise exchange and joint initiatives with Portuguese partners across different knowledge-based sectors, including education, heritage and publishing.

Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi said, "Sharjah believes that global engagement is a civilisational mission, translated into practice through on-going collaboration with cities, cultures, and institutions worldwide. The DGR adopts this approach through forging partnerships that open new opportunities across key development sectors, particularly culture and knowledge. The visit of the Portuguese delegates reflects the alignment between Sharjah’s cultural project and Portuguese institutions, and expands the scope of joint work in ways that serve mutual interests and strengthen intercultural dialogue," Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi said.

Alberto Fernando Santos toured House of Wisdom’s facilities, including learning spaces, exhibition areas and digital services. The tour offered an overview of ongoing cultural and educational programmes, along with the centre’s technology-driven platforms that serve researchers, university communities and general visitors in Sharjah and beyond.

Santos praised the institution’s contribution to Sharjah’s cultural landscape and its approach to combining design, technology and learning. He said, "House of Wisdom in Sharjah is a remarkable example of how beauty, technology and knowledge can coexist in perfect harmony. It is an inspiring space that honors the past while fully embracing the future of learning and cultural exchange."

Marwa Al Aqroubi highlighted that relations between Sharjah and Portugal have developed over more than thirty years, moving from traditional cultural exchanges to research-driven and knowledge-centred partnerships. This long-term engagement now includes joint projects, honours and collaborative programmes that recognise shared priorities in promoting culture as a tool for understanding.

Al Aqroubi said, "Portugal enjoys a growing academic and cultural interest across the Gulf region, and particularly in Sharjah, as a knowledge-based partner aligned with Sharjah’s cultural vision. This relationship was notably underscored by the awarding of the Grand Collar of the Order of Camões, Portugal’s highest sovereign cultural honour, to His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in recognition of his enduring role in advancing culture as a bridge for mutual understanding between peoples, as well as supporting initiatives that restore knowledge to its central place in building societies."

The programme also included the presentation of the book ‘The Portuguese in the Gulf’ to Alberto Fernando Santos by Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi. The work, published in Arabic, Portuguese and English, relates to an exhibition organised earlier at Sharjah International Book Fair and later hosted at House of Wisdom with the University of Coimbra.

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The publication records rare items from the University of Coimbra collections, such as books, manuscripts, inscriptions, correspondence and artworks. Sixty artefacts were displayed to visitors, illustrating Portuguese activity in the Arabian Gulf during the 16th and 17th centuries, including trade routes, early maritime presence, artistic exchanges and wider patterns of interaction between Portugal and Gulf societies.

The visit underlined Sharjah’s established ties with Portuguese institutions and confirmed the role of House of Wisdom as a platform for sustained cultural dialogue. By connecting archival research, exhibitions and policy-level discussions, the engagement strengthened existing projects and opened space for future joint initiatives in culture, education and knowledge production between Sharjah and Portugal.

With inputs from WAM