Eid spectacular

He's young, well travelled and full of creative ideas. Marwan Al Sarkal is the CEO of Qanat Al Qasba Development Board (QAQ), the year-round hub featuring a host of cultural, Islamic, entertainment and charity activities especially for the holy month of Ramadan.

Beautiful display

The UAE national joined the team this year and has since been working overtime to keep the calendar of events full, making the Sharjah destination an even more popular place to visit.

As we chatted in Zaman Al Awal, the heritage area filled with traditional food and crafts being made on the spot, Al Sarkal told Tabloid! the team is planning something very special for Eid.

“We will have a beautiful display of fireworks on the first day only, so make sure you don't miss out,'' he said. “A great traditional Arabic band will also be performing in the heritage area.''

Bursts of light

But, the fireworks display is no ordinary one. Al Sarkal said a special team was brought in to create bursts of light that will be explode from literally everywhere, including from each of the 42 cabins on the Eye of the Emirates observation wheel.

“People are looking for outdoor venues that can offer them such events. What makes it even more attractive is we are not blocked by high-rise buildings so the view will be fantastic,'' said Al Sarkal.
In the meantime, during Ramadaniat Al Qasba — the line-up of programmes laid on during Ramadan — visitors can enjoy the ongoing activities including Soul Food, a series of Islamic lectures and discussions on site.

Recycling stand

And don't forget to also check out the Book Boulevard. Here, you will find a variety of kiosks offering a wide selection of books with all proceeds going directly to the Red Crescent Society. There is also a recycling stand in the Boulevard for those who want to dispose of their old magazines and newspapers in an environmentally-friendly way.

The whole experience is designed to reflect the virtues of the holy month of Ramadan which include giving and being considerate to those around you.

“I like to relate my work to Islam and my culture,'' said Al Sarkal. “You have to believe in what you do in order to be able to satisfy your customers. Our visitors have been very diverse and I noticed people are eager to learn about our way of life.''

Works of art

During my second visit, I managed to meet up with exhibitors including Mohammad Hawamda, who creates skilful works of art through sand as a hobby.

As we watched Hawamda craft coloured images of camels and people's names in glass bottles, some were already queuing up to place their orders.

Others were simply observing the technique which he has perfected over the last 10 years during his spare time at home in Ajman.

Entertain and educate

Next to him was Nasir Khalfan, an elderly souvenir boat maker who uses palm wood for his model collection.

“This is a very traditional and old way of making boats and, no matter what, they never sink as they keep rising to the surface,'' he said.

As Khalfan sat on the floor of his stall perfecting his newest design, he was surrounded by different boats he had already made which were up to around a metre long in length.

Hessah Sultan Ali, PR manager for the venue, said they brought in great talent like Khalfan and Hawamda to entertain and educate onlookers.

“I have seen so many foreigners become very engaged in such displays. They even try making things themselves and have fun doing it,'' she said.

Be there

Make sure to catch the huge fireworks display and acrobatics show on the first day of Eid when the whole of Qanat Al Qasba's main building will be transformed into a giant screen.

Where: Qanat Al Qasba, Sharjah.
Time: 9pm.

For more information on events and schedules, visit www.qaq.ae

did you know?
Marwan Al Sarkal, CEO of Qanat Al Qasba Development Board, is also the executive producer of the Dubai TV show Cars in which he travels to different countries to test-drive new models.

Mission impossible

The team behind the experience has regular brainstorming sessions to throw ideas together and see what can and cannot work.

Al Sarkal and his crew are on a mission and it seems there is no stopping them. Renovations are already underway to accommodate their vision of improving the outdoor venue. And at least three new restaurants and cafés are scheduled to open before the end of the year including Caribou café, an Arabic Shababeek restaurant and an Indian eatery called Masala Craft.

With a budget of more than Dh5 million, the 27-year-old is confident it will become the cultural hub of the UAE.

“I love what I do and I feel that when I work, I am far from wasting time. Without a strategy we will not be successful,'' said Al Sarkal.

As the first UAE national on the team, Al Sarkal said he finds inspiration from his trips abroad. So far he has travelled 70,000 miles since January and on average, he travels to at least two dozen places each year.
“I feel that I have achieved a lot. I take plenty of photos wherever I travel to and use them as a basis of inspiration for our projects,'' he said.

With a 130-room boutique hotel set to open in two years on site as well as 12 extra fountains on the promenade, as part of the beautification project, Al Sarkal's vision of making Qanat Al Qasba a “must-visit destination by 2008'' is sure to be realised.