Sultan Al Qasimi opens the 16th edition of the Sharjah Reading Festival for Children

Sharjah, April 23 / WAM / His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, opened this morning the activities of the 16th session of the Sharjah Reading Festival for Children, which is organized by the Sharjah Book Authority under the slogan “To overwhelm books”, and will continue until May 4, at the Sharjah Expo Center.

His Highness was received upon his arrival, His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikha Badour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sharjah Book Authority, His Excellency Abdul Rahman bin Muhammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and Community Protection, His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Fouad Hano, Minister of Culture in the Arab Republic of Egypt, and a number of general heads and managers of the general departments, government agencies, cultural and educational institutions in Sharjah, Writers, intellectuals and those interested in the literature of the child.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah cut the traditional tape to mark the opening of the festival, after which he continued a technical show presented by a number of children participating in the festival, in which they expressed their thanks to His Highness for the support of the children, and their joy in the festival and the various activities and activities that he continued to provide.

His Highness toured the corridors of the festival, which brings together 122 Arab and foreign publishing houses from 22 countries, and provides more than 1024 activities that combine culture, arts and entertainment, and are distributed on workshops, theatrical performances, interactive sessions, and specialized reading activities and hosts in its new session more than 133 guests from 70 countries.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah visited a number of pavilions participating in the festival and identified its programs and initiatives aimed at consolidating the culture of reading for new generations, and the educational and training opportunities it provides and activities that contribute to raising the levels of children at the levels of love of reading and learning.

His Highness stopped at the Sharjah Children’s Pavilion of the Foundation for the Foundation for the Foundation for the Industry of Leaders and Innovators, where His Highness (the reader of the century), which targets children and young people, at ages 6 to 18 years, launched their enabling in the field of literature and knowledge and enhancing their active role in society, and encouraging them to enjoy reading books and benefiting from their content, which guarantees an enjoyable and useful cultural experience.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah visited the UAE Council for the Books of Youngsters and met the representatives of the Egyptian Council for the Books of Advisors, the guest of the honor of the Emirati Council at the Sharjah Reading Festival for Children, and listened to their vision in enhancing cultural cooperation between the UAE and the Arab Republic of Egypt, and exchanging experiences in the field of developing children’s literature and its own initiatives.

His Highness inaugurated the new website of the International Award for Arab Child Literature, which expresses its new identity, and launched the seventeenth edition of it, which began receiving posts from workers in the production of the Arab child’s book from all over the world.

During his tour of the festival, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah reviewed the wings and platforms of the Department of Culture, the Emirati Publishers Association, and the platform (Iqra You in Sharjah) affiliated to a platform for distribution, and the House of Wisdom, and listened to an explanation about their efforts to enhance publishing and culture and encouraging children to love reading and writing.

His Highness also stopped at the wings of the Social Services Department, the Arab Forum for Children’s Books Publishers, the Words Foundation, the Sharjah Radio and Television Authority, and a group of words, and it is known for its efforts as effective institutions in the field of publishing and knowledge that works to provide many events in the field of raising the child and encouraging him to read, read and practice interactive, educational and recreational activities in innovative and varied methods.

His Highness expressed the Sharjah Children’s Book Fees Exhibition 2025, which includes a large collection of paintings, which included drawings of the winners of the exhibition prizes and listened to a detailed explanation of the artists participating in it from within the UAE and outside.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah honored at the end of his tour of the Sharjah Child Book Award.

Sheikha Badour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi won the Child Book Award in the English language for 7-13 years of age for the book “House of Wisdom”, published by a group of words.

He won the Child Book Award in the Arabic language for the age group of 4-12 years, Mohamed Kassbar from Egypt for the book “Shish … this is a secret”, published by the Arbhah House for Publishing and Distribution.

She won the Book of Judgment in Arabic for the age group of 13-17 years, Asma Al -Skaf from Bahrain, for the book “On the Equation Line”, published by the Hazaya Library, while she won the Sharjah Voice Book Award (Arabic Language), Nahed Al -Shawa from Jordan on the book “The Mighty Cows” published by Nun’s books – Nahid Al -Shawa Cultural Foundation.

At the Sharjah Fearent Child Book Fair Awards 2025, Luis Miguel San won first place in Centi Oli Virus from Mexico, and won the second place Christina Peru Ban from Italy, while she won third place Shin Amy from South Korea. In appreciation of the promising talents, promotional prizes were awarded to each of Hani Saleh from Egypt, Laura Mirz from Finland, and Ali Asghar Baqir Zadeh from Iran.

The Sharjah Reading Festival of Children in its session this year includes a new package of innovative events such as the Future Makers Museum and the Sherlock Holmes exhibition, along with a group of creative workshops, such as manga drawing, artistic dialogues, thread drawing, rotating robots, and scientific experiences that combine entertainment and knowledge.

The festival represents one of the most prominent specialized cultural and educational initiatives that perpetuate and complete the efforts of the Emirate of Sharjah in building a reader generation, which possesses creativity tools, and a knowledge awareness that enables it through learning, interaction, education and the correct preparation of contributing to making a better future for societies.

The festival offers more than 50 cultural sessions in which the elite of international writers and painters participate, in addition to 85 theatrical and mobile shows by participants and specialized artists from a number of countries.

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