Sharjah: During the past four days, the Sharjah Water Festival received more than 53,000 visitors, as it continues to host more than 20 diverse international entertainment shows from around the world with a focus on raising social and cultural awareness.
As a part of its awareness initiative, the festival received visitors from Camp Hope, a volunteer-based organisation for children with special needs. The group of children along with their escorts and supervisors enjoyed various shows and took part in several activities at the festival’s Mouj Island.
The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), who are the main organisers of the festival, hosted an exclusive show as a special gesture to ensure that the children with special needs are taking part in various social, cultural and entertainment activities.
The Authority aims to continue organising visits and delegations from social and humanitarian institutions to social and cultural events.
According to the SCTDA, most shows and performances apart from the Russian Circus on Water, are being performed for the first time in the Middle East.
Besides the international skits and puppetry shows, many performances were aimed at promoting social awareness and highlighting the culture and traditions of the UAE.
With a number of Sharjah government departments and agencies partnering with the SCTDA in hosting the event, the festival is an ideal opportunity for these institutions to promote their activities and spread their message of social awareness between families and visitors from within and outside the country, said an SCTDA official.
One of the participating organisers, ‘Knowledge Without Borders’ a mobile bus library initiative which targets young children encouraging them to read has also been attracting a huge number of children since the first day of the festival. The aim of the mobile bus is to highlight the importance of reading among children.
Another organiser, the Sharjah Baby Friendly Emirate Campaign, organised by the Sharjah Supreme Council for Family Affairs is also spreading awareness about the importance of breastfeeding by distributing leaflets at the festival, said Reem Mohammad Al Raadi, executive coordinator of the campaign.
Held at the Al Majaz Park, the Sharjah Water Festival which started on December 12, will continue to attract more visitors and families until its concluding day on Friday.