Sonam Kapoor takes part in the panel discussion at SIBF.

Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor drew whoops of delight as she walked into the Sharjah book fair on Saturday. The audience went berserk as Kapoor, dressed in a shimmering outfit, made her grand entrance.

The glam girl-cum-fashion diva-cum actor,  who has come a long way since her debut in Saawariya, has carved a name for herself on the silver screen. The daughter of former swashbuckling hero Anil Kapoor, her new release is The Zoya Factor.  Her roles also show the right mix of feminine fragility and resolve.

The 38th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) has dedicated a staggering 409 activities to its Kids Programme.

To be led by 28 guests from 13 Arab and foreign countries, the activity schedule will feature an array of educational, cultural and entertainment activities geared to promote children’s learning and creativity.

The Children’s Programme will feature activities conducted by entities and individuals from around the world including the UAE, USA, Italy, Lebanon, Greece, Jordan, Syria, Egypt and the Netherlands.

Workshops will include ‘The Magic of Writing’, conducted by Ann Marie Rowland form the USA, who will be using a magic stick to ignite young imaginations for a story writing exercise. Another workshop themed ‘Cinderella and the World’ will be conducted by Annemiek During from the Netherlands.

Antonello Ghezzi form Italy will be conducting a workshop titled ‘The Starry Night’, in which children will recreate the starry night using a metal plate and dark blue ink, while Deborah Reed from the USA will be conducting a workshop themed ‘Stimulating Readers’ focused on the art of sentence writing for readers.

Salman Production company from Lebanon will be organising two workshops ‘Magical Photographs’ and ‘Repetition and Difference’. Laboratoire d’Art, also from Lebanon, will conduct several engaging workshops to develop children’s imaginative and creative skills. These will include ‘Stories in a Jar’, ‘Galactic Jars’, ‘The World of Puppets’, ‘Conceptual Photography’ and ‘Moon Rocks’ to name a few.

From Greece, Yiannis Papadopoulos will be conducting a workshop themed ‘Painting with Paper Pulp’, teaching participants how to make art using coloured paper pulp.

Doha Khasawneh from Jordan will be conducting several edutaining workshops and reading sessions like ‘Expressing Emotions’, ‘We Create’, ‘Let Us Sing’, among others, to stimulate children to tap into their sensory skills.

Shaimaa Al Keilani from Egypt brings in crafts workshops like ‘Clay’, in which children will learn how to design letters and animals using clay. In ‘Pegboard Game’, they will be using pegs and rubber bands of different sizes to create what they like. The workshop aims to improve the synergy in their visual muscles and increase their ability to focus.

Many institutions and government entities from the UAE are also contributing to the SIBF 2019 Children’s Programme. The Prevention and Safety Authority (PSA) is organising a workshop themed ‘Salamh and Humood’ to raise awareness and tackle possible risks and preventions. The Media Cultural Office (MCO) is conducting a workshop titled ‘Drawings and Letters’ that brings together the eloquence of writing and the aesthetics of painting through creative art designs combining shapes and letters.

The Child Safety Department (CSD) will be conducting two workshops. ‘A Walk in the Market’, highlights the importance of listening to parents’ advice, being aware of an approach from strangers and asking the police for help when necessary. ‘Masoud the Hero’ will educate children about their safety at home.

A prime feature of the fair each year is its extensive programme of seminars, speeches and panel discussions featuring renowned writers and novelists from around the world.

This year’s roster of celebrities includes America’s most-loved host, Steve Harvey, taking part as SIBF’s ‘Principal Guest of Honour’, Nobel Prize-winning Turkish author Orhan Pamuk and Mark Manson, a blogger, internet entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author whose books have reached #1 in 13 different countries, been translated into more than 50 languages and sold nine million copies worldwide.

Bestselling crime novelist and forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, whose books were the basis of the popular television series ‘Bones,’ will be present along with the author of the bestsellers ‘Nemesis’, ‘Genesis’ and ‘Chrysalis’, and ‘Virals’ series, Brendan Reichs.

India’s biggest superstar and global cultural icon Amitabh Bachchan will also make his debut appearance at the Sharjah International Book Fair. Bachchan’s visit and interactive audience session are slated for Oct.30 at 5:00 pm.