Sharjah Libraries Elevate 928 Young Minds Through Storytelling

الخلاصة

مخيم صيفي بمكتبات الشارقة حوّل أفكار 928 طفلًا ويافعًا (6-18) إلى قصص، ويتواصل شتاء 2026 لتحويل النصوص لأعمال فنية.

Creative Minds at the Sharjah Libraries Summer Camp

Over the course of four days, a summer camp organised by Sharjah Public Libraries transformed the ideas of 928 children and adolescents into innovative stories. The camp, held from August 3 to 6 under the theme “Beyond the Book,” took place in various branches across Sharjah, including Al Dhaid, Kalba, Khor Fakkan, Wadi Al Helo, and Dibba Al Hasn. Children learned about the creative process, experiencing firsthand how an idea evolves into a readable story.

The camp catered to children aged 6 to 18, with activities tailored to different age groups at each branch. Participants aged 6 to 13 attended the Sharjah Public Library, Kalba Public Library, and Wadi Al Helo Public Library, while those aged 14 to 18 were hosted at the Al Dhaid Public Library, Khor Fakkan Public Library, and Dibba Al Hasn Public Library.

Looking Ahead: Winter Camp 2026

The Sharjah Libraries will continue this initiative with the Winter Camp 2026, set to be held from December 7 to 10. The camp, themed “After the Book,” will focus on transforming the written text into artistic, theatrical, and visual works, encouraging children and adolescents to create new projects inspired by literature.

Encouraging Self-Expression

Iman Bushalabi, Director of Library Administration, stated, “The results of the camp reflect the library’s ability to discover the interests of children and youths, providing them with tools to express themselves and turn their ideas into tangible works. These programs allow us to engage with the younger generations and understand how they interact with knowledge, guiding us in developing library content and future services as well as creating educational pathways that support their long-term skill growth.”

She further emphasised that the projects presented by children and adolescents signal the importance of investing in imagination, reading, and writing from an early age. These experiences prepare a generation confident in their ideas, capable of developing and collaborating with others to realise them. Accordingly, Sharjah Public Libraries is dedicated to crafting knowledge programmes that encourage active participation in content production and cultural experiences.

At the end of the camp, participants expressed their joy with the experience, noting how they relished the opportunity to transform their ideas into written and illustrated stories. Many learned how to develop characters and plots, while some expressed a desire to participate in similar programmes in the future.