Sharjah Arab Children Forum Unleashes Children's Creativity and Innovation during Debut Workshops

The first day of the 12th Sharjah Arab Children Forum (SACF) currently taking place under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, has seen seven specially formulated workshops hosted for the children attending.

Held under the title: ‘Hear us, We are the Future,’ SACF 2016 has been organised by Sharjah Children Centre - a subsidiary of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs - and runs until April 3.

The workshops, held in conjunction with public welfare societies and non-government organisations took place at Al Rigga Children Centre, with the participation of Emirati artist Yaqoob Ali and a number of department heads and directors.

The interactive forums aimed to help develop children's personalities and familiarise them with traditions and customs, as well as guide them with advice towards living a healthy life. The programme included a number of educational games to stimulate the children's creativity, helping them to think in new and innovative ways. 

The first workshop was titled: ‘Between the Past and the Present.’ Organised by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, it was presented by Salem Ali Al Kaabi and Muna Al Suwaidi and acquainted children with past forms of trade, the reasons for its evolution and the difficulties traders faced in transporting goods to their countries. Tools and instruments that were used in fishing were highlighted during the event. It also featured videos about customs and traditions, as well as lectures on sewing and, knitting. The workshop touched on the significance of ‘We are the Future’ and the importance in strengthening children's personalities and preparing them to become influential leaders.

The second workshop, titled: ‘My Health is My Choice’ was presented by health expert Hala Tallat, whose topic was cleanliness and hand hygiene. She highlighted the importance of washing to help keep diseases at bay and spoke of the importance of inculcating good hygienic habits right from early childhood.

Third on the programme of activities came courtesy of the Sharjah Economic Development Department, which conducted an educational workshop. Presented by Abdullah Masoud, the activity featured three different games that aimed to stimulate children's creativity and innovation.

The fourth workshop was organised by the Department of Social Services and presented by Ezaz Khalid. It focused on guiding children on how to use technology to stimulate their intellect. The department also organised a separate activity titled: ‘How to Say No,’ which taught the children attending important assertiveness skills.  Following on from this, the fifth workshop was conducted that had the title: ‘Ensuring the Rights of Children,’ which informed the youngsters about the importance of abiding by laws to ensure a dignified life for everyone.

The sixth workshop was organised by Bee'ah, the Sharjah environment company. Presented by Khalid Al Qubaisi, it discussed how to recycle waste to protect the environment and benefit the community. The children attending's interest was piqued by the displays of what new products can be produced from waste metal and plastic. 

The Health Education Department organised a workshop titled: ‘The Health World of Ali and Ali,’ which was presented by Iman Turkey. It highlighted the role played by health-supporting departments of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and aimed to educate children about positive behaviour affecting human health; such as sports, healthy foods and drinks rich in vitamins to help them grow properly. 

The Big Heart Foundation workshop was presented by three lecturers; Lamya Al Suwaidi, Sarah Al Suwaidi and Abdullah Yousef, who drew the children's attention to the difficulties refugee children experience and revealed how the foundation works to help and ensure a better life for them. The children were asked to imagine themselves as refugees who want to send messages to Arab countries about the need for their healthy future. 

The Friends of Cancer Patients conducted a workshop on the early detection of childhood cancer and its ways of prevention and treatment. Children were familiarised with the organisation’s objectives and vision and were encouraged to think about what should be provided to children with cancer. 

Artist Yaqoob Ali and Reem BinKaram, Head of the Organising Committee of the Sharjah Arab Children Forum, as well as a number of officials, participated in the workshops, encouraging the children's creativity and innovation by sharing their thoughts and presentations.

Yaqoob Abdullah said that his participation in the Sharjah Arab Children Forum stems from his keenness to better learn about children's needs, benefit from their experiences and discover what really concerns them. He hoped that his presence among children in these workshops would motivate them to continue and encourage them to become what they want to be in the future.

Highlighting the importance of the workshops, Reem BinKaram said that they served as an incentive for helping children to think in new ways and to keep them updated with the latest educational and scientific methods, ultimately enabling them to become influential and important members of their communities. She stated that SACF's Higher Organising Committee will continue to organise workshops for children during the seven-day forum to refine their leadership skills and help them become future leaders. 

SACF is a biannual pan-Sharjah initiative organised by the General Department of the Sharjah Children’s Centres - a subsidiary of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs. The forum offers a platform for Arab children aged 8-12 years to discuss various issues and exchange ideas and experiences with their peers from all nationalities in a peaceful and secure environment. SACF treats children as an important section of society who play a significant role in shaping the present and future of the world.