UAE schoolgirls spotlight Emirati folk tradition at Sharjah book fair

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Young girl students from the Al Nahwah School in Khorfakkan, Sharjah, dressed in traditional costumes, danced to Emirati music on the second day of the 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) being held in Expo Centre Sharjah, on the second day of the fair which marked the first day of school visits to the 12-day event. The students belonging to Grade 3 and 4 had practised for a week to give a flawless performance before an enraptured audience in the main hall. Swirling to Emirati folk music, they made a pretty picture in their golden hair ornaments and bright maroon gowns typical of the Arab world. SIBF 2024, a 12-day cultural extravaganza themed ‘It Starts with a Book’, has in store 1,357 activities for children and adults alike. Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, the fair will present until November 17 a comprehensive programme of 600 workshops for various age groups, including 465 sessions for adults and children and 135 for early childhood, covering heritage, media, entrepreneurship, technology, environment, arts, life skills, and creative writing.