SHARJAH SHARJAH

AUGU S T 2014
ISSUE 6
SHARJAH
ISLAMIC CULTURE CAPITAL
Osama Samra
Sharjah
Ramadan
Dr. Lana
Mamkegh
Dialogue with the other is
an islamic concept AND A
MAINSTAY OF civiliSational and
humanitarian communicatION
A spiritual
expanse and a
comprehensive
cultural panorama
Sharjah is the capital
which captivates
hearts with its
ancient civilisation
WHY SHARJAH?
Having been found to conform to the required
standards, Sharjah has been selected as the
Islamic Culture Capital of the Arab Region
2014 as part of the Islamic Culture Capital
programme, which is sponsored and
supervised by the Islamic Organization for
Education, Science and Culture (ISESCO).
Given its cultural and intellectual legacy,
Sharjah has been given this title with the
approval of the fourth session of the Islamic
Conference of Culture Ministers, which was
held in Algeria in December 2004.
Thanks to its long history and scientific
reputation, Sharjah has managed to hold a
prominent cultural position in the UAE and
the wider Arab region. It has distinctively
contributed to Islamic and human culture
through the interest of its wise leadership in
the scientific, cultural, literary and artistic
works of its intellects, authors and artists.
Sharjah, with its university city and
numerous scientific research facilities,
manuscript libraries and archaeological
centres, has been a magnet for researchers,
as well as art, culture and science
enthusiasts.
In addition to its famous set of Islamic
monuments, schools, mosques and public
parks, Sharjah boasts literary and
intellectual institutions that are active in
stirring the cultural life of individuals and
groups and organising cultural festivals,
including book fairs, painting exhibitions,
theatrical performances as well as
translation and publishing activities.
In summary, due to the conformity of its
Islamic cultural and civilisational character
with all the necessary criteria, Sharjah has
been crowned as the Islamic Culture Capital
of the Arab Region for 2014.
Contents
AUGUST 2014
Issued by the Executive
Committee for the Sharjah
Islamic Culture Capital
2014 Celebrations
Published by Motivate
General Manager
John Deykin
Senior Production Editor
Rehab Barham
SENIOR Assignments Editor
Ingrid Valles
EditorIAL ASSISTANT
Adnan Bashir
Senior Art Director
Victor Mingovits
head of production
ramadan majlis
‘In the Culture
of Dialogue’ takes the stage |
PAGE 13
Sunil Kumar
Project Manager
Nadeem Quraishi
MOTIVATE publishing group
Media One Tower
Dubai Media City
P. O. Box 2331
Dubai, U. A. E.
00971 (0) 4 427 3000
motivatepublishing.com
General Supervision
Sharjah Media Centre
Editorial Consultant
Ismail Al-Rifai
PHOTOGRAPHY
Simon Newton
5 n a r r at i v e
the jewel of all months
15 n e w s
islamic book fair
If we were to describe Sharjah
as the jewel of all cities, then
Ramadan must surely be the
crowing jewel of all months
127 Arab publishers participate in the
Islamic Book Fair ‘Sadiq Al-Zaman’
7 interivew
osama samra
A breath from the past
Dialogue with the Other is
an Islamic concept and a
mainstay of civilisational and
humanitarian communication
17 n e w s
spice routes
10 c u l t u r e
Sharjah Ramadan
18 n e w s
al nishan
A spiritual expanse and a
comprehensive cultural panorama
00971 (0) 6 512 3456
[email protected]
www.sicc.ae
@sicc2014
16 n e w s
Arab and Islamic
heritage
14 n e w s
lure of the eye
47 art exhibitions and 59 workshops
in the ‘Lure of the Eye’
A vision of old Islamic markets
A traditional look through
the Gate of Sharjah
19 v o i c e s
Dr. Lana mamkhegh
Sharjah is the capital which
captivates hearts with its ancient
civilisation and bright history
s har jah i s l am i c cu lt u r e cap i ta l
3
NARRATIVE
The Jewel of All Months
During the
blessed month of Ramadan, one can discover
various activities for celebration
If we were to describe Sharjah as the
jewel of all cities, then Ramadan surely
must be the crowning jewel of all months,
during which the world is showered with
forgiveness and engulfed with an air of
spirituality, and Muslims come together
in a moment of pure affection, tolerance
and companionship. Though mouths
become parched with thirst, souls are
quenched with praise to Allah, and though
lips become cracked and dry, hearts are
healed in the name of Allah. And if we
were to say that this year is Sharjah’s year,
during which the Arab and Islamic worlds
came together and crowned it as the
Capital of Islamic Culture, then Ramadan
is surely the month wherein it recalls the
essence of the olden days and the rituals
that accompanied the people since childhood… be it the first cannon heard being
fired to announce the time of Iftar, or the
bountiful feasts of goodness and affection
that brought together the people of the
‘freej’ (neighbourhood) and passer-by’s in
a genuine act of kindness truly dedicated
to Allah. However, even if it were said
that Sharjah is always inhabited by the
spirit of Islam and the essence of Allah
the Merciful, it cannot measure up to the
universality of Ramadan, a sacred ritual
that draws people to the windows and
lanterns of heaven, saddling them with
their pleas and prayers, a call to spread
the prayer mats and extend the souls to
the Kaaba, and a purification for the heart
and soul with the holiness of Allah’s many
names.
In Sharjah, Ramadan tents can be
found as far as the eye can see, and
Ramadan lanterns decorate every street
and every square. However, these tents
have no need for lanterns, for they are
brightly lit with kind faces, and gentle
conversations exchanged over the Iftar
and Suhour feasts until the hour of
“Imsak” at which point a new blessed
day is born in this holy month, souls are
lost to dreams and hearts wipe away the
haze left by this materialistic life.
During the blessed evenings of
Ramadan one can discover various
activities and programmes that celebrate
this holy month in their own way. This
year has a unique flavour that combines
many cultural, social and artistic events,
reflecting the various characteristics and
features of Islamic cities. The Ramadan
Majlis, held for the third time under the
slogan of “In the Culture of Dialogue”,
will be in the presence of prominent
intellectual, religious and cultural figures
from different parts of the world. Then
there is the Art Bazaar that presents many
local and international artistic pieces
that reflect the Islamic arts and shed light
on their unique aesthetics. Other events
include the Islamic Book Fair, Islamic
theatre performances, the Islamic
Heritage Village, and “Al Nishan”, a cultural competition broadcast by Sharjah
TV throughout Ramadan… in addition
to the “Spice Route Markets” that portray the features and characteristics of
traditional markets with their unique
Islamic aspects.
During this holy month, Sharjah
will be encased with a genuine spiritual
atmosphere as it fills its venues with
a variety of activities and events that
strengthen the cultural role of Sharjah
and emphasise its Islamic identity, as
well as its cultural aspirations that are
based upon ingraining the concept of
dialogue and openness with all human
cultures… an atmosphere in which the
rituals of Ramadan manifest in Sharjah’s
open spaces, rituals that trickle gently
into hearts where prayers never sleep,
and a city where generosity never rests. s har jah i s l am i c cu lt u r e cap i ta l
5
INTERVIEW
Osama Samra
Dialogue with the Other
is an Islamic concept and a mainstay of
civilisational and humanitarian communication
To be able to follow the Sharjah
Islamic Culture Capital 2014 celebrations with its great momentum and
diverse activities, and to be able to portray the profound essence and numerous implications of such a coronation,
one would have to be armed with a solid
media strategy and a broad vision to be
able to relay every single moment of the
celebration and introduce it to the country, the region and the world. One would
also have to be dedicated to the Sharjah
project, and bear the city in mind when
looking at the world as a whole. The
aforementioned conditions are true
of the media coverage of the Sharjah
Islamic Culture Capital celebrations,
and so far it has been well-prepared,
au courant and perceptive. We have
attempted to discover the angle taken
by the Executive Committee of Sharjah
Islamic Culture Capital celebrations in
adopting its media strategy and coverage
through this illuminating meeting with
Osama Samra, Chairman of the Media
Committee for the Sharjah Islamic
Culture Capital 2014 Celebrations and
Director of Sharjah Media Centre.
When asked about his assignment
and the characteristics of the strategy
employed by him in the introduction
of SICC, Samra said: “Initially, by way
of the SICC constitutional meetings,
an executive committee chaired by
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi
branched from the Supreme Committee
for the SICC. Chairmen were selected
for the Events Committee, the Projects
Committee, the Protocol Committee,
Financial Committee and the Media
Committee, the latter of which was
granted to me. It was then that the
Media Committee began to recruit all
efforts to draw attention to the cultural
and artistic achievements of Sharjah
during the city’s celebratory year.” To
this statement, Samra added: “Our
work began before 2014, when we put
together a comprehensive media strategy and identified the budget needed
for execution, both of which received
the confidence, support and approval of
the Executive Committee. Our strategy
involved accentuating the various cultural achievements of Sharjah through
different publications and a large-scale
promotional campaign. We also created
the brand identity of Sharjah Islamic
Culture Capital 2014.
Following the approval of the SICC
logo by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan
bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme
Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah,
we worked on organising a large event
in Al Majaz Waterfront with a rich media
presence, and we unveiled the brand
identity in conjunction with a large-scale
promotional campaign that included
many local, regional and international
media under the title, “Why Sharjah?”
We also organised specialised workshops
to introduce the logo and how it should
be used, and distributed logo user manuals. Meanwhile, we began corresponding
s har jah i s l am i c cu lt u r e cap i ta l
7
with various institutions and public and
private sectors to promote the logo,
which was included in all official governmental correspondence and all official
websites, various transportation means,
vital locations, in addition to business
license documents, water and electricity
bills, ATMs and water bottles. We also
entered into a dynamic partnership with
the water companies Sirma and Zulal,
and another wonderful partnership with
Sharjah Islamic Bank.” The Chairman of
the Media Committee added that a collaboration occurred between the Committee
and the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism
Development Authority to circulate the
logo and the “Why Sharjah?” campaign
in all its international participations, in
addition to the local promotional campaign and logo-bearing lighting fixtures
that covered street advertisements in
various squares and roundabouts in the
UAE and all vital locations and facilities. We also planned for the publication
of a monthly magazine titled “Sharjah
Islamic Culture Capital 2014 Magazine”.
In order to achieve the highest possible
level of quality and a genuine media
payoff, we contracted with prominent
media institutions so we may produce a
magazine worthy of Sharjah, a diverse
8
s h a rjah i s l a mi c cult ure cap ital
publication released and distributed in
thousands amongst all institutions, official departments and hotels, such that a
copy is available in every hotel room in
Sharjah, enabling tourists to familiarise
themselves with the colourful and rich
activities in Sharjah.
Samra continued to explain the details
of the media and promotional campaigns
and described the inauguration of the
SICC and the opening announcement.
He said: “The Media Committee was
responsible for covering this important
historical event, from the moment His
Highness the Ruler of Sharjah unveiled
the SICC monument and opened the
Islamic Park, to the moment he launched
the “Clusters of Light” epic – the main
event for which the Media Committee
prepared an unparalleled promotional
campaign. In an attempt to promote
this historical epic on a local, regional
and international level, more than 120
guests, including important media personalities, celebrities and cultural figures
from many countries, were invited to
the opening event, which was covered
by important international newspapers,
TV stations and other Arab media agencies.” On the continuous coverage of the
events of the SICC Samra added: “The
Media Committee has ensured, over the
past months, to issue continuous media
reports on the activities, projects and
events of the Islamic Culture Capital,
while also documenting the same through
videos and photographs.”
On the other hand, regarding the
media role that Sharjah Media Centre
(SMC) played in covering the “Sharjah
Ramadan” festival that was organised
by the SICC Executive Committee in
Expo Centre Sharjah and included
many cultural and heritage activities
and events, Samra indicated that the
SMC Media Department prepared a
promotional strategy worthy of such
an event that had never before enjoyed
such a great momentum and an Islamic
cultural variety. The Festival included
a number of cultural, artistic and heritage activities that reflected the civil
and aesthetic identity of Islamic cities
with their different cultural arts and
expressions. Accordingly, we launched
a promotional campaign covering many
public locations and set up a specialised
media centre at Expo Centre Sharjah to
cover the event on a daily basis. Osama
Samra added that SMC also designed
and implemented all the materials of
the promotional campaign.
Of SMC’s participations in the
“Sharjah Ramadan” festival, most
important was the “Ramadan Majlis”,
which hosted many important intellectual, religious and cultural personalities
from different parts of the world and
addressed the most important issues
faced nowadays. Samra noted that the
Ramadan Majlis is an annual tradition
that SMC has been keen to uphold in
order to deepen ways of social communication, strengthen relationships
and exchange opinions on radical and
important issues and topics. He added
that the third edition of the Ramadan
Majlis had a unique flavour owing to the
fact that it was held in the midst of the
SICC; as such, special attention was paid
to the selection of the guests and discussion topics to ensure their harmony
with the essence of the celebrations.
Samra also alluded to the fact that the
Ramadan Majlis invited elite Arab and
foreign cultural and intellectual personalities to open the doors of dialogue,
given that dialogue with the other is an
Islamic concept and an important basis
for civilisational and humanitarian communication within the scope of Islamic
culture, as well as a necessary means for
the exchange of knowledge. Accordingly,
the Majlis was held under the slogan of
“In the Culture of Dialogue” through
seven sessions that included dialogue
among religions, cultures, poetry, arts,
traditions, customs, sports and issues
within people and society.
As for the role of SMC in connecting
the Government of Sharjah with the various national, regional and international
media, Samra said that the Centre, which
is the media arm of the Government, was
established three years ago to strengthen
the presence of Sharjah at local, regional
and international media landscape.
During those years, the Centre was able
to make a difference in dealing with the
media. Samra added that SMC, through
a number of strategic agreements and
partnerships with the biggest media companies in the world, had strengthened the
presence of Sharjah and portrayed the
true image of the emirate to the world, by
introducing its culture, cultural identity
and various achievements through events
and special ceremonies.
Samra stressed that the Centre draws
its main strategy from the directions
of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah,
through adopting the principles of transparency and accuracy and establishing a
media strategy capable of keeping up with
the fast changes in the media and providing a professional, highly capable work
environment that can keep up with the
cultural movement and great momentum
of Sharjah in all its sectors and fields.
The Director of SMC concluded
by saying that the Centre has always
worked towards producing many quality initiatives that contributed to the
development of governmental communication and Arab media, such
as the “International Government
Communication Forum”, considered
the first of its kind in the country and the
region. The Forum aims to build a platform that will improve communication
between governments and stakeholders,
and introduce the best and latest international best practices of government
communication. It also launched the
Sharjah Government Communication
Award in 2013 under the patronage of
His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, in
what is considered a pioneering movement that recognises the achievements
of individuals and institutions in the
media and communications sectors,
and encourages the adoption of best
practices, creative ideas and serious participation in the communication sector
in the Arab Gulf. s har jah i s l am i c cu lt u r e cap i ta l
9
CULTURE
Sharjah Ramadan
A spiritual expanse
and a comprehensive cultural panorama
In 2014, Sharjah celebrated
the holy month of Ramadan with an
abundance of cultural events and artistic performances enshrined in a gentle
spiritual ambience, as well as activities of an Islamic nature known for its
culturally interconnected components,
visual products and aesthetic expressions that portray the essence and noble
prospects of mankind. Sharjah vested its
interest in those things, for they were
behind the transformation of its project – planned by His Highness Sheikh
Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi,
UAE Supreme Council Member and
10
s h a rjah i s l a mi c cult ure cap ital
Ruler of Sharjah – into a leading movement that contributes to shaping the
cultural reality in the region and the
world, given that this project is closely
associated with the spiritual, intellectual and ideological roots of mankind,
by way of understanding its historical
components, unique identity and future
aspirations and prospects.
Hence, the cultural and creative
movement of Sharjah established and
contributed to the development of an
active cultural discourse on a local and
regional level, with reverberations perceived in the significant impact caused
by Sharjah on the regional and international cultural map.
Perhaps this is what brings us to the
“Sharjah Ramadan” festival, organised
by the Executive Committee for the
Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital 2014
Celebrations at Expo Centre Sharjah for
the entire duration of the holy month of
Ramadan. The festival, with all its different activities, complemented the cultural
panorama to which Sharjah adds a splash
of colour day after day, revealing its cultural identity and ability to weave multiple fabrics into a single tapestry that acts
as a local and international destination
and a qualitative platform for new initiative. Sharjah Ramadan is but a group of
demonstrations in which more than 21
countries participated and more than
50 intellectuals, artists and other figures
active in the current cultural scene from
around the world were hosted. It encompassed seven halls that complemented
each other in a manner that furnished
the demonstration with great momentum and a colourful variety of Islamic
cultural discussions and intellectual symposia, numerous performances, visual art
prospects, local heritage workshops and
crafts, live historical markets, and theatrical performances by theatre troupes
that portrayed the great heritage of
various cultures. From the deep and rich
prospects of dialogue in the “Ramadan
Majlis”, to the visual narratives inspired
by the aesthetics of Islamic arts in the
galleries and workshops of the “Lure of
the Eye” art bazaar, to the “Spice Route
Markets” that recreate the rhythm of old
Islamic markets, to the “Arab and Islamic
Heritage Village” that brings back the
memories of the olden days through the
noble traditions and customs of the UAE,
that will forevermore be present in the
body and soul of its people, to the enlightening lectures in “Sakan Al-Nofous”
(House of Souls), to the “Islamic Book
Fair” that initiated the exhibition of rare
Islamic manuscripts, and finally, to the
“Islamic Theatre” that simulates visual
arts inspired by Islamic knowledge. The
“Sharjah Ramadan” festival also hosted
“Al Nishan”, a TV programme with a
number of cultural segments, competitions, interactive and entertaining
activities that develop the cognitive and
spiritual sides of the receiver.
As the crowds wander from one hall
to the other, they wondered at the seamless organisation and the magnificent
exhibitions that traverse space and time,
and transport them from old markets
and heritage displays to theatrical performances put on by “Al Daraweesh”
troupe, and from intellectual and cultural councils to professional workshops
and entertaining activities, each carefully
placed within a mould that combines fun
with knowledge, and the past with the
present. In this holy month of kindness
and blessings, Sharjah celebrates its coronation as the Islamic Culture Capital and
its status as a beacon of Islamic knowledge and authenticity through events
and demonstrations with a unique ambience worthy of its new title. s har jah i s l am i c cu lt u r e cap i ta l
11
NEWS
Ramadan Majlis
“In the Culture
of Dialogue” takes the stage
Throughout the holy month
of Ramadan, the third edition of the
Ramadan Majlis was held as part of
the Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital
2014 celebrations and the “Sharjah
Ramadan” festival, organised by the
Executive Committee for the SICC 2014
Celebrations. The Majlis is a platform
for dialogue and exchange of opinions,
characterised by its ability to discuss
vital and flexible topics branching from
the nature of the cultural life in Sharjah,
and delve deep in its attempts to build
bridges between intellectuals, cultural
figures, celebrities and various social
categories, in order to establish a constructive dialogue that can contribute
to the cultural wealth of the city. The
Majlis portrays the direction and strategy adopted by Sharjah Media Centre
in creating a responsible and effective
cultural movement that complements
the essence of its informational message.
With selected intellectuals, cultural
figures and celebrities from different
countries, the third Majlis discussed many
important topics under the slogan of “In
the Culture of Dialogue” through seven
main axes, beginning with “Interfaith
Dialogue”, which hosted guests like
Archbishop Dr. Atallah Hanna, Dr. Al
Arabi Kashat and Mukhatar Ehsan Aziz,
and was managed by Dr. Mohammed Al
Kubaisi. It focused on compatibility, love
and tolerance and emphasised the message of Sharjah which is considered an
embodiment of the ideas of His Highness
the Ruler of Sharjah. The main pillars in
all monotheistic religions include the
consolidation of interfaith dialogue,
respecting the other, peaceful cohabitation and equality.
Through the second axis, “Intercultural Dialogue”, which hosted thought
leaders such as Dr. Lana Mamkegh, Dr.
Al Sadeq Al Faqih, Ziad Baroud and Elif
Shafak, the Majlis addressed the cultural
experiences of various countries; the
cultural support programmes provided
by the public and private sectors, as well
as the mechanisms, outputs and role of
cultural support in bridging the gap of
intercultural dialogue between the East
and the West. The third axis, “Dialogue
of Rhymes,” brought together poet
Tamim Al Barghouti and Dr. Barakat Al
Wegyan in a whimsical, poetic meeting
that approached many issues of contemporary poetry, the effect of social media
on the composition of poems, and the
most significant changes in the cultural
scene that have affected the structure
and implications of poetry. The fourth
axis, “Returning to FIFA World Cup
Dialogue” witnessed the discussion of
a number of issues pertinent to UAE
football, and the reasons behind the failure of the UAE football team to qualify
for the World Cup. The “Cross Spaces
Dialogue” received Khaled Al Sheikh,
Ali Hajjar, Lotfi Bouchnak and Producer
Ahmed Nahdet Sharif, stars of the historical epic “Clusters of Light” that
launched the Sharjah Islamic Culture
Capital 2014 celebrations with its glorious recounting of the story of Islam. The
sixth axis, “Direct Dialogue”, brought
together elite media personalities in a
direct dialogue on the importance of
the daily live broadcast programmes
that tackle social issues and attempt to
find appropriate solutions for them. And
last but not least, the “Freej Dialogue”
merged together the memories of the
past and the essence of the location,
and reminisced the tales of a cherished,
authentic, simple past that still lives on
in the beating Heart of Sharjah. s har jah i s l am i c cu lt u r e cap i ta l
13
NEWS
Lure of the Eye
47 art exhibitions and
59 workshops in the “Lure of the Eye”
As part of the “Sharjah Ramadan”
festival the Directorate of Art at the
Department of Culture and Information
in Sharjah organised the “Lure of
the Eye” art bazaar, which featured a
number of galleries and specialised
workshops inspired by the aesthetics
and visual representations of Islamic
arts. The colourfully rich bazaar featured
a variety of styles, from compositional
and sculptural works, to abstract and
linear pieces, merging them together in
a harmonious visual unit and a unique
plastic presentation.
Regarding the “Sharjah Ramadan”
festival and the “Lure of the Eye” exhibition, Hisham Al Mazloum, Director
of the Directorate of Art and General
Coordinator of the event said that
14
s h a rjah i s l a mi c cult ure cap ital
the Directorate contributed greatly
to the organisation of the Sharjah
Ramadan festival from its very first
steps and throughout the coordination
and implementation stages, stressing
the importance of the event held in
honour of Sharjah’s coronation as the
Islamic Culture Capital and as a reflection of the Sharjah project founded by
His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin
Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme
Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.
When asked about the “Lure of the Eye”
Art Bazaar, Al Mazloum remarked:
“The Directorate of Art dedicated a hall
to the Lure of the Eye, a graphic reflection of the prospects of Islamic arts
and a gathering of 47 galleries by local
and international artists. It celebrates
the occasion through a display of contemporary and classical Islamic visual
arts, such as “In the World but not of
the World” by American artist Shafaq
Ahmad; “Hope and Prayer” by American
artist Helen Zughaib; “Breezes” by the
Emirates Fine Arts Society and Emirates
Association for the Arts of Calligraphy
and Ornamentation; “Finger Painting”
by artist Judith Braun; “Whispers” by
artist Anila Agha; “Oneness” by artist
Shahida Ahmed; and “Heritage and
Acquaintance” by Abdallah Akar…
next to others.
Al Mazloum noted that, alongside
the Bazaar, 59 public-interactive art
workshops were held every evening
during the holy month of Ramadan,
under the supervision of a group of
local and international artists with
different disciplines such as painting,
calligraphy, ceramics, sculpting and
others. Islamic Book Fair
127 Arab publishers participate in the
Islamic Book Fair “Sadiq Al-Zaman”
Organised as part of the “Sharjah
Ramadan” festival and supervised by the
Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF),
the Islamic Book Fair “Sadiq Al-Zaman”
(Companion for Life) was held in line
with the Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital
2014 celebrations. Specialised in Islamic
books, the fair witnessed the participation of many Arab and Islamic countries and included a number of various
Islamic, cultural activities in which many
leading specialists participated.
127 Arab and Islamic publishers and
Islamic bookshops participated in the
Book Fair, bringing with them books
and publications rife with religious,
historical, cultural and social gems.
When asked about the Fair, Ahmed bin
Rakkad Al Amri, SIBF Director, said:
The “Sharjah Ramadan” festival has
been organised as part of the Sharjah
Islamic Culture Capital 2014 celebrations and in honour of the holy month
of Ramadan. The Fair consists of many
events that express the abundance of
artistic details and aesthetic values in
the Arab Islamic culture, and plays a role
in the cultural project and civilisational
message of Sharjah that were instilled in
the emirate by His Highness Sheikh Dr.
Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE
Supreme Council Member and Ruler
of Sharjah.” He also confirmed that
the Fair included a number of unique
events and activities, such as an exhibit
for Egypt’s Mamluk Qurans, featuring 42 rare Mamluk Qurans dating to
the period between 726 and 814 Hijri
(1325 – 1411), displayed for the first
time outside Egypt. This rare collection
of Quran manuscripts demonstrates
the great quality and utmost precision
with which the pages of the Holy Quran
were written and decorated, and Al Amri
noted that this exhibition is the fruit of
collaboration between the SIBF and the
Egyptian National Library and Archives
of the Ministry of Culture.
Al Amri alluded to the fact that SIBF
organised three cultural seminars that
covered “Undiscovered Islamic Heritage”,
“History and Culture of Manuscripts”
and “Sources of History Records” and
were attended by prominent intellectuals, researchers and critics. s har jah i s l am i c cu lt u r e cap i ta l
15
NEWS
A Breath from the Past
Arab and Islamic Heritage Village
When traversing the halls of
the Arab and Islamic Heritage Village –
organised by the Directorate of Heritage
at the Department of Culture and
Information as part of the “Sharjah
Ramadan” festival – we encounter
realms and rituals that carry us back to
the bygone days with their charming
simplicity and enchanting beauty. Soon
after entering the Village, the visitor is
greeted by a flood of memories pouring from the traditional exhibits, which
together recreate a breathing canvas of
the life our ancestors led in the past.
The Village effortlessly demonstrates
the unique nostalgic ambience and
the sense of whimsical familiarity that
Sharjah has been keen to revive in all its
16
s h a rjah i s l a mi c cult ure cap ital
activities, events and old heritage areas.
The Village exhibits a number of
traditional crafts found in the UAE
and portrays vital and social activities
through a variety of physical artefacts
and transparent memories, together
forming a humanitarian legacy passed
on from one generation to the other.
The Village also includes manamat (old
terraces), workshops and traditional
games, a traditional products market,
an Islamic products market, a traditional
dishes corner, the “Awal Fa’al” (First of
Good Signs) Market, an auction market,
traditional crafts, gypsum workshops
and traditional majalis (gatherings).
This rich corner of the “Sharjah
Ramadan” festival captures the essence
of the old life style through a display of
the traditional home, composed of a
tent and arish (palm leaves), with its sitting room, living room, terrace and old
kitchen. This essence is also present in
the women of the Village and their traditional crafts, such as sewing, spinning,
manufacturing perfumes and incense
and trimming burqas. As for the auction market, one can find many old and
antique artefacts such as dallahs (coffee
pots) and embalmed falcons, in addition
to ancient weapons, old manuscripts
and copies of the Holy Quran, some of
which date back to 800 years.
Take a stroll down memory lane and
savour the deep-rooted past of the UAE
on the ‘streets’ of the Arab and Islamic
Heritage Village, which has put on its
Ramadan dress and stood side by side
with the many other activities and events
that reflect the wealth of the city, in the
past, the present and the future. Spice Route Markets
A Vision of old Islamic markets
Of the many events held at
Expo Centre Sharjah as part of the
“Sharjah Ramadan” festival organised
by The Executive Committee for the
Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital 2014
Celebrations, the Spice Route Markets
is one inspired by the landmarks and
characteristics of traditional Islamic
markets, where a visitor may find
Ramadan consumables, traditional garments and fashions, corners dedicated
for various Ramadan dishes, including
sweets and other local and regional
recipes, spices and seasonings, and jewellery and henna. The Markets also offer
entertaining performances and various
cooking exhibitions such as the Arab
Kitchen, the Children’s Kitchen, the
Home Necessities Exhibition, the Lady
of the Kitchen competition, and daily
decorative exhibits for ladies.
Perhaps the reason for including
the Spice Route Markets event in the
“Sharjah Ramadan” festival lies in the
creation of a cohesive environment
that expresses the different lifestyles
in old Islamic cities. After all, a market
represent the pulse, the structure and
the daily activities of any given city; it
is a main component in the social and
economic life of any civilisation, and a
lifeline that both nourishes the city and
seeks nurture from it. Furthermore, it is
an active and vital element that breathes
life into the city and acts as a coordinator and mediator between its different
constituents, and an architectural environment that reflects the wealth of a city
in products and merchandises, and the
temperaments and everyday hubbub of
its citizens. s har jah i s l am i c cu lt u r e cap i ta l
17
VOICES
Sharjah:
The Capital of
Islamic Culture
2014
Dr. Lana Mamkegh,
Jordanian Minister
of Culture
Al Nishan
A traditional look through
the Gate of Sharjah
During the “Sharjah Ramadan”
festival held in Sharjah Expo, Al Nishan
TV programme will be broadcasted for
the entire holy month of Ramadan as
well as the Eid Al Fitr celebrations. Al
Nishan is a programme rich in dialogic
and interactive competitions aimed at
introducing the heritage and various
lifestyles of our ancestors. Through its
unique design, the program recreates
the different geographical environments in the UAE, including the desert,
mountainous, marine and agricultural
environments, in addition to landmarks
from Sharjah’s old neighbourhoods such
as the circular wind tower in the majlis
of Ibrahim Al Madfa, the minaret in Al
Manai Mosque, the unique façade of
Khaled bin Ibrahim’s house, the wind
18
s h a rjah i s l a mi c cult ure cap ital
tower of Harith Al Madfa, wind catchers and some details from old markets.
The programme is co-hosted by
Ahmad bin Majed and actress Aisha
Abdulrehman. Bin Majed believes that
the ambience of the program transports
the viewer back in time through the
gate of Sharjah, by recreating several
of UAE’s environments and the components of our beautiful heritage. He also
added, “Al Nishan was able to compete
with other programmes since its launch
in 2013. However, this year we face the
great challenge of achieving the actual
purpose of the programme – a smooth
delivery of heritage facts and information to the viewers. We do not settle
for simple answers; instead, we seek
to explain and clarify each response
through simple discussions, in order
to ingrain them in the minds of our
viewers.”
On the other hand, Aisha
Abdulrehman admitted that hosting the
programme is a new experience to be
added to her résumé; after all, Al Nishan
is known for its great diversity and its
esteemed guests who specialise in the
heritage of UAE and the Arab Gulf, all
geared towards bolstering the viewers’
culture through unique facts about the
country’s heritage. She further adds:
“Every day I feel as though I am living in
the past, especially when every corner
on the set yearns to tell a story. I found
programme hosting to be a different
experience altogether, because unlike
TV dramas, we do not rely on scripts and
emotions; rather, we focus on interacting with the audience and filling them
with joy, while at the same time providing them with the correct information
regarding their heritage.” Sharjah is the Islamic Culture Capital 2014; it is a capital which captivates
hearts with its ancient civilisation features and bright history. It pleases the eye with
its architectural style which reflects the aroma of the Arab-Islamic Culture, as it adds
the senses of fascination and glamor. It is a place in which joy and happiness are
brought together because of its people who are known for their noble morals and
ethics, warm hospitality and authentic Arabian generosity within a spiritual atmosphere that is rather comforting and soothing.
Choosing this lustrous emirate was far from a fleeting coincidence, or a sudden
favoritism. In fact it was a merit that suits its rich nature, culture and knowledge
facilities which are spread inside it. The determination of its inhabitants to do whatever it takes to promote its cultural and civilisational identity, which respects the
several humane cultures, realises the importance of conversation and openness on the
modern global cultures, has elevated this emirate’s stature to the point of deserving
the title of being the Islamic Culture Capital, especially when it strives to preserve and
protect the Arabic-Islamic culture from the dark attempts to undermine the elements
of Islamic personality, which creates a status of behavioral balance, as the quality of
forgiveness is illustrated by us Muslims, as we seek force and intensity to fortify our
civilisation and Islamic legacy when needed, while we take the path of forgiveness,
tolerance and gentleness when necessary as well.
In this context, it is possible to say that Sharjah is an emirate which is famous for
its good endeavors in facing dangers that beset the purity and clarity of the Islamic
Culture under the shadow of the intruding extremist ideology over our Arabian and
Islamic societies. Also, it is an emirate that didn’t spare an effort to maintain its earnings and to increase its spark as well as to shed light on its cultural, civilisational and
humanitarian hidden aspects and factors.
We are pleased at the Ministry of Culture in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to
communicate, collaborate and coordinate with our brothers in the UAE, to enhance
the joint cultural work, activate brotherly and cultural relations among our sisterly
countries. We also laud and praise the efforts of the devotees in the emirate of Sharjah,
and we ask God the Almighty to grant them luck and success, more progress and
prosperity for the UAE, as well as a bright future for the emirate of Sharjah; the
Arabian-Islamic Culture Capital.
s har jah i s l am i c cu lt u r e cap t i a l
19