Dubai: Acclaimed Emirati children’s author Sheikha Salama Bint Hazza Al Nahyan is on a mission to promote children’s education across the UAE and highlight the heritage of the UAE, which can be seen through her five inspiring children’s novels and other recent initiatives.
The passionate author is a longtime advocate of children’s literacy and education and believes that these values must be instilled in young minds at an early stage in order to promote a prosperous future. Inspired by the legacy of her late grandfather, Sheikh Zayed, Sheikha Salama is determined to leave her mark on her beloved country and further bring to light the deep heritage of the UAE, to build a brighter tomorrow.
The novels authored by her are: The Invisible Orphans, A play on Children’s Rights, The Well of Mysteries, Umm Al Nar, and The Horse, The Saluki & The Falcon.
‘Education, the building block’
Sheikha Salama said: “Education is everyone’s right and a foundation for life. As a writer, I am able to share my experiences and wisdom with the younger generation. I believe if you are going to do anything in life, education will always be the building block to achieve your dreams.”
In her pursuit to contribute to the UAE education system, Sheikha Salama has partnered with various schools across the UAE, including Bright Learners Private School and Star Education, to further promote the importance of reading. The school held a week-long campaign recently, introducing the books to students through engaging discussions surrounding the themes and messages portrayed in the books and through art projects and assignments.
Scholarships
Sheikha Salama has fully funded two recent scholarships to the Ignite School of Dubai and Bright Learners, to reinforce and mirror her strong belief in the importance of education.
Furthering her personal involvement as an author, she recently left personalised messages and signatures enclosed in 40 books, which she gifted to children across the UAE, in an aim to inspire and educate.
Promoting children’s literacy
The talented author made her debut as a writer in 2019 with her first book The Invisible Orphans, followed by four additional children’s books that pay homage to the author’s Emirati heritage and culture.
This year, Sheikha Salama plans to begin drafting her latest novel, and will continue to participate in initiatives, including the book fairs in Dubai and Sharjah to further promote children’s literacy.
