الشارقة 24:
The Board of Directors of the Social Work Association in Sharjah has officially announced its cultural programme for participation in the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair, themed “We Read Society… To Shape the Future.” This initiative includes 11 engaging panel discussions to be held at the cultural café from November 5 to 15, alongside a dedicated booth showcasing the association’s publications, including five new releases addressing family, community, education, and quality of life issues..
Enriching Community Knowledge
Dr Salah Al Mazrouei, Vice Chairman of the Social Work Association, highlighted that the approval of this cultural programme reflects the council’s commitment to enhancing social knowledge within cultural discourse. He stated, “We aim to offer a programme that combines profound discussion with clarity in its connection to people’s lives, providing families, educators, and specialists an opportunity to discuss the impactful changes affecting their roles and responsibilities.”.
Al Mazrouei emphasized that recently published works by the association extend this approach, presenting social, familial, and educational themes to researchers, academics, and university students. He added, “We strive to facilitate access to these publications through our booth, reinforcing connections between knowledge producers and those interested, thus supporting social research’s role in understanding reality and enhancing practices.”.
Strengthening Family and Community Cohesion
Al Mazrouei praised the efforts of the cultural committee, led by Dr Mohammed bin Jarash Al Suwaidi, in planning the programme and shaping its themes. He noted, “Its value lies in the vision that connects its subjects to community questions.” The programme embodies the Social Work Association’s mission to cultivate awareness, strengthen family and community cohesion, and apply social knowledge to comprehend and respond to shifts in society. It links family and upbringing issues with awareness, technology, and quality of life, allowing each panel to contribute to a broader dialogue about the community’s future..
The programme will commence on Thursday, November 5, with the panel discussion “The Resilient Family… From Understanding to Adapting to the Changes of the Era,” initiating a dialogue on the family’s ability to embrace transformations. This theme will continue through the discussions “Raising Children in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” and “Discovering Talents and Building Children’s Personalities,” which connect upbringing challenges with opportunities for developing children’s abilities and preparing them for the future..
Building Community Awareness for Future Challenges
Expanding from family to broader societal contexts, the programme will address “Building Community Awareness to Face Future Challenges… The UAE as a Model,” and “The Emirati Family and Strengthening Social and Intellectual Security.” Furthermore, a panel titled “Senior Citizens… The Memory of Society and Family Care” will highlight the role of older adults in preserving community memory and transmitting values and experiences across generations..
The discussions will further enlarge the scope of discourse in the panel “Envisioning Community Life Amid Major Transformations and Stability Requirements,” and address the dimensions of technological transition via “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Human Thought and Behaviour,” “How Algorithms Reshape Human Relationships?” and “Family Privacy and Protecting Children in the Digital Age.”.
The programme will conclude with the panel “Quality of Life and Social Prevention Towards a Safer Community” on Sunday, November 15, 2026..
In conjunction with the discussions, the association’s booth will feature diverse publications, granting researchers, academics, university students, and others interested in social issues access to its latest works. This integration links seminar topics with broader readings that can be referred to in studies, research, and professional practice..
Scientific Insights into Contemporary Emirati Family Transformations
The recent publications include “Our Family Forum… The Fabric of Our Lives: Scientific Insights into Contemporary Emirati Family Transformations,” created by a group of researchers, and “Knowledge Diversity Within the Family and Its Reflections on Family Structure,” authored by Dr Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Maliha. Additional titles comprise “The Role of Community Service in Achieving the Strategic Goals of the UAE: An Analysis of National Policies and Application Models” by Dr Amena Salem, “Sporting Values: For Building Community Awareness Against Intellectual Deviation,” also by Dr Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Maliha, and “Anxiety Taught Me to Be: Tales from the Edge of Fear to Life’s Reclamation” by Dr Hala Ibrahim Salem Al Abloom..
Through the synergy between panels, publications, and its dedicated booth, the Social Work Association aims to enhance the dissemination of social knowledge, promote dialogue between researchers and the public, and strengthen the role of reading in understanding societal transformations and consciously participating in shaping its future..