Sharjah: His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated on Monday the 16th edition of the Sharjah International Narrator Forum (SINF) at University City Hall.
The three-day event is being held under the slogan ‘Juha: A Common Human Heritage’, and features narrators, storytellers, performers and experts from various countries. It is organised by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH).
Dr Shaikh Sultan watched a performance by artists and schoolchildren depicting Juha’s journey across vast lands, stretching from Iraq through to the Levant, Turkey and Europe.
He also honoured five personalities who have made their mark in the promotion of narration, poetry, and Arabic heritage. Among them was the guest of honour, Dr Sa’ad Abdullah Al Swayan, a Saudi scholar from King Saud University, Riyadh.
Other honorees included Sulaiman Al Kabouri and Abdullah Al Ahbash from Khor Fakkan; Mohammad Rajab Al Najjar from the Middle East and North Africa region, and Rabie Anbar Al Oraimi from the Gulf.
In his speech, Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH) and chairman of the Organising Committee, thanked Dr Shaikh Sultan for his consistent support in keeping heritage alive within society. He also said that the Narrator Forum, which is held annually, cements the leading position of Sharjah in the realm of heritage and cultural promotion.
On the second day of the event, Dr Al Swayan presented a lecture in the Institute Theatre at SIH followed by an intellectual symposium about Juha. The forum features a number of activities including seminars, round table meetings, workshops for children, and cultural cafes.
The events are being held in different venues, including the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, Arab Heritage Centre, Al Qarayen, Sharjah Educational District, Al Qasba, Heart of Sharjah, and other sites in Al Yash Area.
