The structure of the Sharjah cultural project dates back to the seventies of the twentieth century, at the level of establishment and administrative or institutional frameworks, then application, implementation, renewal and development during periods of time not far apart. In some stages of this enlightening project in the first place, those who are interested in cultural work in the Emirates, and its first platform is Sharjah, note that development in particular in the structure of this project was built from one year to another, especially in the last ten years. Before that and by virtue of the initial establishment stage, the development was in visions management and administration takes place from one to two years, for example every five or three years. We would have noticed that the structure of this project has changed to the best, to the most diverse and most innovative until the Sharjah cultural project has reached two completely visible depths: the Arab depth, and the global depth, of course, starting from the locality of this Emirati project; it is a cultural project with three dimensions or depths: Emirati, Arab and global .

It is important here before expanding on reading the map of the Sharjah cultural project to point out the roots of this project, which was built on an oriental cultural memory dating back to the forties and fifties and sixties of the twentieth century; and even before that if we return, for example, to some historical blogs that keep part of the informal education, autoplastic education, then formal education in its beginnings along with the role of the media and the first men of Sharjah in building an early educational cultural system in the emirate.

We also do not forget the important cultural root in Sharjah, which is represented by the literary poetry group Al-Hirah and some of the men in this group are merchants who supported early education and culture and wrote poetry, and they had cultural and personal relationships with men of letter in the Persian Gulf and Iraq. Rather, some of them had cultural relations with literary figures in Lebanon, Egypt, and Syria. This is an important point in terms of the fact that this loyal iconic figures of its country among the pioneers of education and culture in Sharjah is really a root of the Sharjah cultural project. This is a point we mentioned briefly as many historical, heritage and cultural writings have been published about that pioneering period, whether in specialized research or in special numbers of cultural attachés concerned with the historical codification of this "root" stage, which we refer to from time to time in the context of nostalgia and even from the prospect of showing gratitude for those pioneers. Those include but are not limited to: Salem bin Ali Al Owais, Khalfan bin Musabeh, Sultan bin Ali Al Owais, Mubarak bin Saif Al Nakhi, Muhammad bin Ali Al Mahmoud, Ibrahim bin Muhammad Al Midfa, Abdullah Al Numan, Abdullah Al Mutawa, and other iconic figures and pioneers in education or in culture.

Sultan as a Compass

This is an intense part of what I called the "roots" of the Sharjah cultural project, which has three dimensions: local, Arab and global. But who is behind all this work? Who is the conscience of all this history? Who is the engine of all this intellectual and cultural knowledge energy? Who is the guardian of all this cultural heritage? He is His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. By the way, I cherish the title of a journalist that was years before the issuance of the cultural attaché to Al-Khaleej newspaper, which is "His Intellectual Highness" that was inspired from the conscience of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, the founder of cultural development in Sharjah, with a title circulated today in the world and that is the “Sharjah Cultural Project”.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah is an active and regular partner in this project. In addition to leading this project and directing its compass to the future, enlightenment, culture of life, beauty, coexistence and love, His Highness is also a playwright, historian, novelist, researcher on the heritage and history of the Arabic language and the writer of Sharjah biography and its cultural project. His Highness is also the owner of the oldest, most ancient and historic artworks. His Highness also acquires a lot of maps and rare documents, in addition to be a corrector of many writings related to the history of the region and writes poetry and a connoisseur of its aesthetics, rhetoric and language.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah has not stood since he assumed power in Sharjah on the banks of his cultural project, rather, he gave the stream of this project a renewed vitality from one stage to another from year to year. He agreed that His Highness should take over while he was still a prep student, standing on stage with his full passion and regular writing. His Highness is a historical theater playwright or history theater based on the manuscript, document, and evidence. He picks up a documented historical detail, and turns it into theatrical play, so that it is projected to another detail in the present in an effort to look to the future and distance it from the dramas of the past.

History becomes Present

In the novel too, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah works on history, and even his major artistic holdings are inspired by history. In light of his correction of any fallacies, whether with prior intentions or otherwise, His Highness turns to history.

One of the important things here is the partnership of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah in a multi-cultural, coexistence, humanistic and global project that he has allocated a great budget for it with all kindness, generosity, nobility and love.

His Highness's partnership in the Sharjah Cultural Project is a guarantee of the continuity of this project since the seventies until today. Then, it is important that His Highness is close to the heart and soul from the cultural milieu on which he counted from the beginning and close to the dramatists, plastic artists, poets and publishers.

The support of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for the cultural project did not stop at these borders, rather, His Highness travels every time that Sharjah is chosen as the guest of honor in the international book fairs to the capitals of these books fairs always present in the Sharjah luxurious pavilion in those book fairs. His Highness has spent long hours in book suites. In the first place, His Highness travels to specific libraries in the world or to academic or university institutions and centers in the East and West to obtain a rare map or a true document or to obtain a historical or geographical reference through which to support his historical research material.

All his cognitive outcomes from time, effort, money and fatigue go to Sharjah Cultural Project. His Highness, with this work, perseverance, patience and discovery, deserves to represent the sincerity of conscience, the guardian and the trustee with his personality, role and honorable and appreciative initiatives that have accompanied His Highness's cultural work for more than three decades until today.

Three Depths

Now, we shine the spotlight on the dimensions of the Sharjah Cultural Project, which forms an important part of His Highness’s and Sharjah’s history.

Locally: The Sharjah Cultural Project achieved an artistic, creative, literary, Emirati identity with distinction. The project is truly a platform for Emirati national culture, and at the same time it is a protective umbrella for this culture from alienation, abuse and exaggeration. By "exaggeration", I mean that sharp delinquency to what may be called a culture of experimentation or abstraction, so some cultures feel closed.

The Sharjah Cultural Project has protected the Emirati culture, which is known as the brutality of cultural globalization, and the brutality of cultural centers in the world, although some of these centers are today margins. Margin has become a center, and the center has become a margin. The Sharjah Cultural Project balanced between originality, heritage, folk culture, and folklore, and between modernity and contemporary standards with intermediate standards that made Emirati culture a global human culture based on its indigenous locality.

The Sharjah Cultural Project is also a project for every Emirati writer, every artist, every playwright, and every person involved in the book industry and the "industry" of culture in general, whether from the Emiratis or from writers, artists and playwrights residing in the country.

Some of them came from his country with his creative legacy if he is a poet, theatrical or plastic artist, and some of the Arab writers residing in the Emirates whose creative legacy was first born here in the Emirates, and some of them are known in the Emirates. On that or after that, he became famous in his country of origin. Indeed, these Arab writers whose writing projects were born here in the Emirates had mainly attached to the Sharjah Cultural Project, which welcomed them in the Emirates, and launched their written, artistic and creative vitality.

The project is of an Arab origin: The Sharjah Cultural Project has attracted hundreds of Arab writers through more than three decades, either by hosting them here in the Emirates and their readings or literary activities in Sharjah, or by honoring many of these Arab writers with literary prizes organized by the Department of Culture in Sharjah.

Arab Depth

In the details of the Arab depth, two important programs are mentioned here on the agenda of the Sharjah Cultural Project, and the Department pursues them with full professionalism. Sharjah organizes the Arab Theater Festival every year in an Arab capital, and Sharjah has created theatrical activities in many Arab countries with a successful measure from the Sharjah-based Arab Theatre Institute. Sharjah also launched the Arab Poetry Houses project in Jordanian Mafraq, Egyptian Luxor, Khartoum, Nouakchott, Tunisia and Morocco.

The project is global

Just as Sharjah attracted Arab writers, it also attracted writers and artists "especially in the Sharjah Biennial" from the world.

Sharjah is the name of a cultural symbol in many capitals of the world, and it is noted here that the theater of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah has been presented on prestigious and historical stages in Russia, Germany, Romania, France, and other countries that have known theater culture closely and on its theaters through the Historical Theater of His Highness Sheikh Sultan, Enlightenment Human.

Source: Al-Khaleej newspaper