Special 'adventures' on day 1 of Sharjah Children's Reading Festival

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Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi shares a light moment with the children during the inauguration of the 11th edition of the Sharjah Children Reading Festival.
Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi shares a light moment with the children during the inauguration of the 11th edition of the Sharjah Children Reading Festival.

Sharjah - Following the opening ceremony, the Sharjah Ruler toured the SCRF venue and checked out the activities that were taking shape.

by

Afkar Ali Ahmed

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Published: Wed 17 Apr 2019, 9:00 PM

Last updated: Wed 17 Apr 2019, 11:25 PM

The 11th edition of Sharjah Children's Reading Festival (SCRF) is now open, and the first visitors on Wednesday were officially welcomed by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
At the opening ceremony, Sheikh Sultan ordered the allocation of a Dh2.5-million budget for the purchase of the latest publications that are showcased at the SCRF. These books, brought in by 167 publishers from 18 countries, will be distributed in libraries across the emirate. 
He also kicked off the 11-day festival by announcing the winners of different awards for the best in children's literature.
The Sharjah Children's Book Award for Visually Impaired Children, for one, was won by Kuwait Awqaf Public Foundation for the book, The Olive Trees of My Grandmother Zahra, which is part of the Qutof Al Kahir series written by Jamela Yahyawi.
Other winners include My Mother's Hand by Aisha Al Ajel for the Arabic Children's Book award, in the four to 12-year-old readership category; The Island of Rings by Hind Saif Al Bar for the Arabic Young Adult Book award, dedicated to the 13-17 years age category; and The Secret of the Cave by Julia Johnson for the International Children's Book award, which is given to books that target seven to 13-year-old readers.
Sheikh Sultan also recognised three Egyptian academicians and researchers who have won the Sharjah Prize for Library Literature this year.
Following the opening ceremony, the Sharjah Ruler toured the SCRF venue and checked out the activities that were taking shape. Thousands of fun events - featuring 198 cultural personalities from 56 countries - are all lined up for kids throughout the festival, which will run until April 27 at Expo Centre Sharjah.
Sheikh Sultan browsed through the books - both printed and digital - that were on display and visited the cultural and educational pavillions.
Among the highlights of the Ruler's tour are his visit to the Sharjah Children's Book Illustrations Exhibition, where he honoured this year's winning artists - including Yan Frankel from Argentina, Masanobu Sato from Japan, and Mohammad Barrangi from the UK/Iran, who won the first, second and third, respectively. A total of 320 illustrators from 55 countries have flown in their works for the exhibition.
Sheikh Sultan also didn't miss the new exhibitions that SCRF 2019 has curated. One is named 'Travelling the Silk Road', which celebrates the ancient route that had shaped and influence trade across the world for centuries.
The other exhibition is called  'Voyage to the Deep', an interactive set-up that  brings to life the deep-sea adventures of Captain Nemo, his fantastical Nautilus submarine and the mythical world he inhabited.
The SCRF, the largest event of its kind in the Middle East, is also hosting theatre performances in Arabic, English, Hindi and Urdu - for the first time.
Schoolgirls learn how to turn stories into illustrations
While writing an excellent story for a children's book is only half the battle, even the most engaging plots simply won't come to life without vivid illustrations to match the text. Shaimaa Subhi who is a member of the Egyptian Syndicate of Fine Arts held an illustration workshop in one of the inaugural sessions at the SCRF.
Divided in teams of four, 15 young school girls in Sharjah, got engrossed in creating a children's picture book. They were handed out references for inspiration, including photos of animals like owls and snakes, from which they were tasked to create a "mood board" for each sketch.
"Children are first taught the rules and once they become proficient at it, they learn themselves to think out of the box and break the rules. This enables them to express themselves, put forth their vision, their interpretation and understanding of the text," said Subhi.
This activity will be held every day until the end of the festival on April 27. 
Travel back in time through the Silk Road at reading festival
Sharjah's famous reading fest for kids is not all about books. This year it is showcasing a grand, interactive exhibition that takes visitors on a journey through the ancient, legendary Silk Road.
Based on a book, in conjunction with the world-famous American Museum of Natural History, the exhibition features six centuries of history (from AD600 to 1200), tracing how the Silk Road has become a cultural channel that paved the way for the modern world.
Guided by a touch-screen map, visitors got to explore different routes, mountains, and even religions, languages, technologies and artworks.
They saw a world where products, ideas and cultures are exchanged not via a wired network, but through camels. 
They witnessed how ancient merchantes traded their goods through an incredible network of routes, with major stops in China, Uzbekistan, Iraq, and beyond.
Four cities that flourished during that time were showcases at the exhibition: Xian, the ancient capital of China; Turfan, a fertile oasis; Samarkand, a grand city of commerce; and Baghdad, then the centre of the Islamic world.
It was a comprehensive picture of man's first engagement in globalisation - way before the wired world was created.
13-year-old tech CEO inspires kids
Aadithyan Rajesh, the 13-year-old CEO of Dubai-based software company Trinet Solutions, was the first child prodigy who took the Creative Kids Café stage at the opening of SCRF 2019.
The young UAE-based coder, who hails from the Indian state of Kerala, shared his journey with his audience for the day, saying that coding, and doing everything tech, has become second nature to him.
The young coder's curiosity was ignited at the age of five when he came across a BBC website. Since then, there has been no looking back for this full-time student and part-time coder.
"I have just begun work on a blood donation app. In India, my country, there are thousands in need of this lifesaving service, and I hope one day my application will help them," Rajesh said.
BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKS HONOURED
>The Olive Trees of My Grandmother Zahra by Jamela Yahyawi
Sharjah Children's Book Award for Visually Impaired Children
> My Mother's Hand by Aisha Al Ajel
Arabic Children's Book Award (4 to 12-year-old readership category)
> The Island of Rings by Hind Saif Al Bar
Arabic Young Adult Book Award (13 to 17-year-old readership category)
> The Secret of the Cave by Julia Johnson
International Children's Book Award (7 to 13-year-old readership category)
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com
 


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