Dubai: Residents and tourists will be able to explore all aspects of Emirati culture during Sharjah Heritage Days, being held from April 7 to 23.
The 17-day festival celebrating UAE traditions — from food to folklore — will be held at the Heritage Area, part of the Heart of Sharjah project that is on the list of candidates to be a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Areas in the emirate outside Sharjah City will also host heritage events as part of the festival, which is open to the public free of charge.
Visitors can tour historical landmarks, buy handicrafts, hear folklore legends, and explore a new Children’s Village and a replica of an old hospital that used to serve as the first maternity unit for Sharjah. There will also be lectures and competitions focused on heritage themes.
The festival, organised by Sharjah Institute of Heritage (SIH), is an annual event that is now in its 14th edition.
This year’s theme is ‘Heritage for Nature Conservation’, which seeks to highlight the environmental-friendly nature of Emirati culture, Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, SIH chairman, said.
“In the old days, the lifestyle was in harmony with the preservation of nature. Our building materials, even our games, preserved nature. We had recycling in the kitchen, and in many aspects of our lives. Through the festival, we want to encourage those practices as well,” Al Musallam said.
He added: “His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, has provided unlimited support to Sharjah Heritage Days since its inception.”
During the previous festival, which lasted about a month, more than one million visitors attended the event, said Zekryat Matouq, head of exhibitions and collections department at SIH.
She added that interest in Emirati heritage — from UAE nationals and expats alike — is on the rise. “There is the cultural aspect as well as the business aspect. Emirati cuisine, handicrafts, fashion are in huge demand,” Matouq said.
Besides Emirati performances, three other countries will host their folk entertainment every three days during the festival, she added.
This year’s Guest of Honour country at the festival is the Republic of Macedonia. Various representatives at the event will also allow visitors to take home a handicraft item of Macedonian origin.
“The Republic of Macedonia has a thriving culture and, as guest of honour, we believe that the UAE can learn and share cultural knowledge with us. We hope that this event will increase the local understanding and appreciation of Macedonian culture and encourage more tourists to visit the country in the future,” Sasho Tashevski, Macedonia’s ambassador to the UAE, said.
