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Dubai Arts and Culture Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate's dedicated Authority for culture, arts and heritage, recently organised a variety of special activities as part of its spring activation programme launched across a number of the public libraries in Dubai during the period from March 27th until April 7th.
The activities took center-stage this year as they were in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make 2016 the “Year of Reading” in the UAE.
Dubai Culture launched a group of educational programs themed “Spring Colours” for youngsters between the ages of 6-12 years and for the holders of the libraries’ memberships at Rashidiya, Umm Suqeim, Al Mankhool, and Hatta branches. The various activities aimed to promote reading as a sustainable habit and to help the new generation to be empowered and to take part in the knowledge-based future.
The programme included a series of workshops, lectures and cultural competitions such as free- drawing competitions and storytelling sessions held under various themes, "My Happiness", "Let's Draw our Story", "Tales reborn", "When the Book Tells", “My family and I Read", “Treasure Hunt" and "Read in Dubai Tram", a trip organised for the youngsters accompanied by their parents.
The programme of activities was inaugurated by a gala opening celebrating the International Children's Book Day. It included reading sessions conducted by the authors Badria Al Shamsi and Hanan Al-Saadawi which saw participants lining up for the book signings and other festivities in celebration of the Year of Reading. The activation programme also featured engaging events such as ‘Dubai Public Library Cinema’; and was concluded with a gala ceremony on 7th of April.
Fahad Al Mamari, Director of Dubai Public Library, said: “Dubai Public Library is considered to be the key enabler of the Emirate’s art and cultural scene. In line with our vision to promote the cultural, literary and artistic scene in the Emirate as we are glad of the outcomes of the spring activations resulting in stimulating educational, intellectual, cognitive and conative awareness levels by reading. We aim to encourage them to cultivate a love for reading at young age and carry this habit through to adulthood."
“Books are the cornerstones of science and civilisation, culture, knowledge, literature, arts and form the basis of urban authenticity. We are pleased to contribute to the consolidation of these values by launching further initiatives and constructive activities,” Al Mamari added.
Dubai Culture is committed to enriching the cultural scene and Arab heritage in the city. The authority’s mandates focuses to build bridges of constructive dialogue between different civilisations and cultures through constructive initiatives that benefit citizens and residents.
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