Children cotton on to eco lessons at Sharjah festival

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

A mesmerising tale of courage and deceit captured the imagination of young visitors at the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2024) on Wednesday evening. In a captivating storytelling session that followed a Houbara bustard and her ingenious strategy to protect her chicks from a fox by pretending to have a broken wing, not only entertained, but also imparted valuable lessons in conservation and survival to the young listeners.

The session titled ‘Tales of the Houbara Bustard’ was a collaborative effort of the UAE Ministry of Education and the International Fund for Houbara Conservation, UAE. Held at the Readers Lounge at SCRF which is taking place at Expo Centre Sharjah until May 12, this event is part of over 1,500 cultural, artistic and recreational activities planned for this edition of the festival.

Led by Mohammed Juma Al Dahmani, a curriculum official from the UAE Ministry of Education, the session aimed to heighten awareness among children about the critical need to preserve the endangered Houbara species and to broaden students' understanding of environmental issues through interactive storytelling.

In a strategic initiative to introduce the critical subjects of environment conservation and preservation of natural and wild species to young students in the UAE, the Ministry has introduced interesting narratives like this one as supplementary material for social studies and national education textbooks, making them part of school education in the country.

This effort underscores a broader national commitment to educating students about the importance of protecting endangered species and supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #4: Education.

The 15th annual SCRF 2024, organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, will continue until May 12 at the Expo Centre Sharjah. The 12-day festival promises a plethora of activities for children of all ages, including workshops, live cooking shows, panel discussions, and more.