SHARJAH, (Pakistan Point News - 08th Sep, 2021) The 21st edition of the Sharjah International Narrator Forum (SINF) will be held between 22nd and 30th September, 2021, in key strategic locations across Sharjah, organisers announced at a press conference held yesterday at the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park.
Led by Dr. Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage and the Supreme Organising Committee of SINF, along with Aisha Al Hussan Al Shamsi, Director of the Arab Heritage Centre of the Institute and General Coordinator at SINF, organisers further revealed that this year’s edition will have as its slogan, "Animal Stories" and will include many discussion sessions, training workshops, and public events, in addition to an accompanying exhibition, virtual events, and workshops for children, with participation from 38 countries from around the world.
Al Musallam stressed that the forum has become an exceptional cultural tradition that is held annually, with an updated and relevant Calendar of events and activities, thanks to the directives of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
"Through the forum, we have an excellent opportunity to celebrate our vision, as well as honour the icons and torchbearers of popular heritage as they are human treasures, whose knowledge, skills and experiences are worthy of celebration through their life’s work and cultural contributions that help to preserve our heritage," he said.
Addressing the press conference, Al Musallam added, "The path of the Sharjah International Narrator Forum encapsulates many years of serious cultural work, which has given heritage the great prestige it deserves. It has made Sharjah a destination for narrators, experts and researchers from all over, and a pioneering model to be followed in protecting human treasures and preserving heritage, and its success is celebrated and acknowledged in many international forums."
Al Shamsi said, "The new session of the forum includes seminars, lectures and sessions that review many important approaches to animal stories, with the participation of a group of experts, researchers and writers from more than 38 countries, including Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, the Sudan, Senegal, Kenya, Comoros, India, the Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Bolivia, Italy, Germany, Spain, Dominican Republic, Finland, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Canada, Romania and the UAE."
Al Shamsi added, "The Republic of Sudan will be the country-in-focus in this year’s edition of the forum and will be represented by Dr. Ahmed Abdel Rahim Nasr, the honoured personality of the year in recognition of his contributions to Arab cultural heritage. The Tunisian storyteller Abdelaziz Laroui will also be honoured as a legal personality in celebration of his rich storytelling legacy."
This session will witness the participation of several organisations, cultural centres, universities and institutes, such as The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation, Association al Munyia de Marrakech, Shamma Council for Thought and Knowledge, Moroccan Encounter and Storytelling Art school in Marrakech.
Several government agencies will also participate in the activities this year, namely: Sharjah Art Foundation, Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Emirates Heritage Club, and the Fujairah Art academy.
A group of Emirati and Arab artists will participate in the forum, among whom are artist Dr. Yahya Al-Fakhrani, Hala Fakher, from Egypt, Muhammad Yassin, from Bahrain, Sana Bakr Younis from Saudi Arabia, and Dr. Habib Ghuloom and Jassim Obaid from the UAE.
This year’s forum will be accompanied by an exhibition on animal stories in the Emirati, Arab and world heritage, in addition to more than 30 different titles from the publications of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, highlighting the forum’s slogan and its richness and diversity, as well as 16 workshops, including interactive sessions which were held before the start of the forum, and were met with great interest from participants.
To introduce the forum to the public and enable them to follow its comprehensive programme of events and activities, whether outside the UAE or abroad, this year’s session includes a set of virtual events broadcast remotely, including some cultural café seminars, storytelling sessions, as well as live transmission of the forum In some Arab countries, via the internet and social media platforms.
