Sharjah Lights Festival 2023 highlights architectural aesthetics of emirate’s mosques

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

A group of the most important mosques in the Emirate of Sharjah and its cities shine with the impressive "Sharjah Lights Festival (SFL) 2023" performances, which show the aesthetics of the architectural details and decorations that these mosques enjoy on their facades.

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The list of mosques includes Al Noor Mosque on Khalid Lake Corniche, and the Sharjah Mosque, which is the largest mosque in the centre of the emirate, along with the Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmed Al Qasimi Mosque in Dibba Al Hisn.

These mosques are a testimony of the Emirate of Sharjah’s culture and identity and the beauty of its landmark designs.

All light shows of the festival will be held daily until 19th February, from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm during weekdays and from 6:00 pm to 12:00 midnight on weekends.

Under the patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the synergy of Sharjah’s beautiful architecture, cultural heritage and light first came to be in 2010 with the first Sharjah Light Festival.

The SLF has been celebrating the emirate’s achivements since then. In 2014, as a tribute to Sharjah’s Capital of Islamic Culture award, the SLF included a spectacular hour-long parade, starting at the Flag Island and covering the expanse of Khalid Lagoon.

The year the emirate won the award for Capital of Arab Tourism was celebrated with new locations highlighting the historical heritage of Sharjah.

The year 2016 saw the addition of the Palm Oasis tunnel, a sparkling collaboration between nature and technology.

In 2017, technological advancements allowed for the very exciting audio-visual and interactive mapping installation which encouraged visitors to become part of the show by mapping movement and music onto the façade of a building.

In 2018, a new venue, the Sharjah Police Academy, offered an unusual canvas for the light artist, a triptych of three facades to illuminate.

The 2019 edition attracted more than 1,200,000 visitors over a span of 11 days.

2020 saw Sharjah add to the legacy of the SLF with an exciting collaboration with 2 of the most highly regarded universities in the area when students from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) and the University of Sharjah (UoS) participated in the creation of two special shows.