Day: March 28, 2024

SHARJAH: Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF), the largest celebration of knowledge, creativity, art and innovation of its kind in the region, is returning for its 15th edition on May 1. The highly anticipated event will take place in Expo Centre Sharjah until May 12.

The festival organiser, Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), has confirmed that the 12-day festival is going to be completely action packed for young readers, artists and creatives as well as their families. While millions of books including latest releases in children’s and Young Adult (YA) literature from across the globe will be at the heart of SCRF 2024, the event will offer the region’s largest platform for cultural and artistic appreciation with theatrical performances, culinary demonstrations, workshops in STEM, social media, music, and several other areas of interest, exciting competitions, activities, animation events and more.

The literary programme of SCRF 2024 will feature discussions between Arab and international authors, publishe
rs, sports and media personalities and others, book signing events, storytelling sessions, reading activities for children and other literary workshops.

SCRF will also continue to offer its world-class networking platform to publishers, booksellers, literary agents, authors, illustrators, artists, librarians, cultural and literary entities as well as governments from around the world to connect, explore collaborations and look into ways to boost the local and regional landscape for publishing and other creative industries.

The winners of current editions of the prestigious accolades that SBA has designed to support the children’s literature industry, namely, the Sharjah Children’s Book Award, Books for Visually Impaired Children Award, and the Sharjah Audio Book Award, will be announced.

Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, said: “The festival reflects the vision of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and H.H. Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al
Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), furthering our unwavering commitment to human development and the advancement of intellectual and creative capacities, which serve as foundational elements of sustainable progress here in the UAE’.

He added: ‘SCRF assumes a pivotal role in Sharjah’s dedication to nurturing knowledgeable and conscious generations. Aligned with our leadership’s commitment to identifying and nurturing children’s talents, the festival serves as a vibrant platform conducive to learning, entertainment and an appreciation for the arts, while also facilitating an environment for professionals in children’s and young adult literature to exchange best practices and insights,’ he added.

For her part, Khawla Al Mujaini, General Coordinator of SCRF, emphasised the festival’s diverse and rich agenda, saying, ‘this year’s edition is poised to make significant contributions 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, unearth their talents across various domains, and foster collaborative endeavours among writers, illustrators, and publishers, thereby elevating the children’s literature industry.’

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: As part of its activities for the Reading Month initiative, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has expanded the scope of the first phase of its ‘Reading in Public’ initiative, which was launched at the beginning of the year, to include coffee shops around the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in a bid to strengthen the culture of reading among all segments of the community.

The ALC signed a cooperation agreement with Cartel Coffee Roasters to showcase its publications in branches of the café across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. This deal is part of a series of agreements the Centre plans to conclude with coffee shops across the emirate to expand the reach of the initiative.

Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of Abu Dhabi Language Centre, said: ‘Applied experiments have demonstrated that making books available in social spaces draws more attention to them and presents reading as an alternative pastime, which, in turn, enhances the prevalence of reading, gradually turning it into a habit among you
th. And this makes the ‘Reading in Public’ initiative all the more important, given its role in integrating books into social life, making them accessible to all lifestyles, spreading a culture of reading, and instilling it as a habit among all members of the community.’

‘Our goal is to reach the younger generations in places that suit their lifestyles and their new social patterns,’ H.E. added. ‘This is a great duty and responsibility, and with that in mind, we have relied on a set of specific selection criteria to identify dozens of modern cafés and branches across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi for the initiative. Moreover, targeted surveys have led to the conclusion that these coffee shops have become meeting places for young people, including university students and young professionals.’

‘The first phase of the initiative includes signing agreements with 12 cafés in Abu Dhabi, starting with Cartel Coffee Roasters,’ Al Tunaiji continued. ‘The project includes dozens of other cafés across the Emirate who will
join the ‘Reading in Public’ initiative, which we seek to expand to include various parts of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi over the course of the year.’

The first stage of the ‘Reading in Public’ initiative targets eight locations, including hotels, hospitals, and cafés, among others. It aims to encourage the public to use their free time in waiting areas to read, and to promote reading in Arabic, in line with the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre’s objectives to enhance the presence of Arabic as a language of culture, science, and creativity.

The initiative provides publications and printed books from the ALC’s Kalima Project for Translation and the ‘Esdarat’ project across various fields. The process for selecting the displayed books includes studying their popularity and updating them every quarter to meet the requirements of the target audience and provide them with the latest releases that align with their aspirations and help develop their cultural and intellectual inventory.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: The Joint Operations Command of the Ministry of Defence announced the implementation of the 17th airdrop of humanitarian and relief aid as part of the “Birds of Goodness” operation.

Two C17 aircraft belonging to the UAE Air Force and a C130 aircraft belonging to the Egyptian Air Force participated in the airdrop operation.

The airdrop was carried out over inaccessible isolated areas in the northern Gaza Strip via three aircraft carrying 79 tonnes of food and relief aid, bringing the total amount of aid airdrops ?to 743 tonnes since the beginning of the operation.

The Birds of Goodness operation is part of “Operation Chivalrous Knight 3” to support Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI: Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, said that Zayed Humanitarian Day highlights the UAE’s humanitarian approach, nobility, and commitment to giving and extending a helping hand to everyone regardless of religion, ethnicity, nationality, or colour.

‘This confirms that our wise leadership’s humanity and generosity, represented by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Emiratis, are gleaned from the approach of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan,’ he added.

This came during the Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence’s celebration of the Zayed Humanitarian Day, which included many domestic and cooperation activities with various ministries and institutions.

The “Zayed, the Source of Giving” seminars were launched in cooperation with many Emirati writers and thinkers under the patronage and support of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan. The ministry also participated in the “Ghars Zayed” forum under the slogan “Twenty Years Have
Passed and Its Effects Are Immortal,” a panel discussion between two generations.

Sheikh Nahyan added that Zayed Humanitarian Day will remain an opportunity for every Emirati to express, through his work, words, and initiatives, their pride in the Founding Father and the values and principles he had instilled in them. ‘It also carries all love and appreciation for the father, leader, and founder who changed history in this region and the world and left us a legacy that we are proud of, and we draw from its inexhaustible source, and a homeland that we are proud to belong to, and a future that we all work for so that the country will always be at the forefront.’

He also noted, ‘During the anniversary of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan, we see our wise leadership, represented by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed, looking to the future, and drawing its ability to work and achieve from the values, principles, and history of the Founding Father. It embodies his qualities, gleans from his wisdom, carries a cl
ear vision, and mirrors His Highness’ commitment to promoting the renaissance and future of this nation and all its citizens, alongside preserving its values, identity, principles, and morals that established by the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed.’

He said that Sheikh Zayed’s humanitarian approach would remain and expand to include the whole world, as his legacy is globally recognised through the initiatives and efforts of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed for the benefit of all humanity, regardless of religion, culture, or ethnicity.

The UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence stressed that the celebration of the Zayed Humanitarian Day coincides with what the UAE has achieved in all fields, especially tolerance, coexistence, and human fraternity values.

Sheikh Nahyan concluded by saying that “Years pass and generations change, but the Founding Father remains our immortal symbol. He was a noble leader and a national role model. It is a source of pride for all of us that Allah Almighty has gra
nted the UAE and Emiratis a wise leadership represented by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.”

Source: Emirates News Agency

CANBERRA: Dr. Fahad Al Taffaq presented his credentials as Ambassador of the UAE to Australia to Sir David Hurley, the Governor-General of Australia, at Government House in the capital, Canberra.

Al Taffaq conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, to Governor-General Hurley, along with their wishes for further development and prosperity for the government and people of Australia.

For his part, Governor-General Hurley conveyed his greetings to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and e
xpressed his wishes for further development and growth for the government and people of the UAE.

Governor-General Hurley wished the Ambassador success in his work to strengthen bilateral relations in various fields, stressing his country’s readiness to provide all possible support to facilitate his duties.

For his part, Al Taffaq expressed his pride in representing the UAE in Australia and his keenness to enhance bilateral relations in various sectors, to enhance ties between the two countries.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed areas of cooperation between the UAE and Australia, and ways to develop them in order to achieve the interests and aspirations of both countries and peoples.

Source: Emirates News Agency

SHARJAH: The Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWA) has successfully installed 91,155 smart water metres in different parts of Sharjah, marking a significant milestone in the city’s water management efforts.

The Authority plans to install 125,000 smart water metres by 2024.

These smart metres offer higher accuracy compared to traditional metres and allow for precise monitoring of water consumption in various areas. These metres can send alerts to customers as soon as they detect sudden high water consumption or leaks. This helps conserve water resources and promotes sustainable consumption.

Commenting on this, Engineer Faisal Al Sarkal, Director of the Water Department at the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority, highlights the authority’s commitment in line with the vision and directives of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to provide advanced infrastructure, digital transformation, and the use of smart systems. The authority h
as launched the project to install smart water metres as part of its ongoing efforts to achieve digital transformation, improve operational efficiency, and minimise water loss.

He mentioned that the authority is currently implementing a plan to upgrade the metres in various areas, including Al Rahmaniyah, Green Community 1 and 2, Al Noaf areas 1 to 4, Al Mamzar, Al Khan Al Jadeed, Al Khan Al Jadeed 2, and Al Nasseriya. The plan involves replacing old mechanical metres with digital ones in several suburbs. The authority will also continue this work in the remaining areas in the near future.

Source: Emirates News Agency