Sharjah: As part of Sharjah's continuous efforts to preserve and revive heritage, the Sharjah Heritage Days festival will start today and run until April 20.
The festival, which is in its 10th edition, runs under the slogan, ‘A Decade of Heritage', and will be held for 17 days throughout the emirate, including Sharjah city, Al Hamriya, Al Dhaid, Khorfakkan, Kalba, Al Madam, Dibba Al Hisn and Maleha.
This year's festival will have a new feel, with features such as scientific lectures and Arab countries' cultural corners. The additions were made based on the directives of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
The corners will display traditional clothes, customs, handicrafts and performances from Kuwait, Yemen, Morocco and Swahili-speaking countries.
Lectures have been added in order to give the festival an intellectual dimension. The five lectures will be spread across 17 days of the festival, and will start at 9am and end at 2pm at the House of Nadwa located in Sharjah's Heritage area. The topics of the lectures will revolve around heritage, culture and history.
Daily activities
Abdul Aziz Al Mussalam, general coordinator of Sharjah Heritage Days and director of the Heritage and Cultural Affairs department, said "the Sharjah Heritage Days this year will please visitors' five senses by offering more than 30 daily activities and events."
Sharjah Heritage Days will offer its usual variety of activities, including traditional workshops on perfume and incense making, a traditional wedding ceremony, traditional dances and performances as well as a chance to learn how to cook traditional Emirati dishes.
Varied lifestyles
The four different terrains of the UAE — coastal, agricultural, mountainous and Bedouin — and their associated lifestyles will be demonstrated during the event. These will give visitors a complete idea of the differences and similarities among those lifestyles.
The festival is organised by the Heritage and Cultural Affairs Division of the Sharjah Information and Culture Department, in collaboration with the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority.
Similar to the last few years, the festival will coincide with the celebration of World Heritage Day on April 18.
What: The Sharjah Heritage Days
Where: Heritage Area, Sharjah
When: April 4 to April 20
