“Culture is the basis for building human dialogue and creating understanding and harmony among all people of the world. Regardless of race, religion or geographic location.”, says His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. Through these words, the cultural vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, is manifested. Since it is a vision that transcends narrow and eclectic concepts. It is a transcendent, ambitious and a radiant vision, that possesses the executive mechanisms to make it a sustainable cultural project, that is not subjected to stagnation, but rather to be a project rich in human experience, and a dynamic act extending in time, place, thought, spirit, and in the present and the future.
The strength and vitality of Sultan Al Qasimi’s cultural project lies in its upward trajectory, from the local reality to the Arab world, to the regional sphere and the international environment. His Highness believes that the success of any major cultural project is linked to the pillars and foundations supporting it, which are: foresight, planning, care and prudence. This is what His Highness did when he turned to the age of Arab enlightenment, explored the golden history of Islam, and worked with a tangible and clear effort to resurrect the bright components of the Arab identity and Islamic accomplishments with its effective theoretical and applied sciences that were luminous at a time in history when European populations were immersed in the darkness of superstition, ignorance, and seclusion during the Middle Ages. His Highness has worked and is still working to restore the glitter of the Arab and Islamic identity and betted on its renaissance again and rescued it from the unjust or pessimistic descriptions that characterized it as a confused identity.
This enlightened awareness of His Highness was embodied in an important statement in which he says: “We have worked for several years and are still working on our cultural project. Our goal is for this century to become the century of enlightenment for the Arab world. To remove dark ideas and raise the banner of rationality high.”
This saying translates the energy and motivation of the Sharjah Enlightenment Project, where His Highness believes that being guided by the rational mind is the starting point of action. And it is the guarantee to transcend the negative human instincts that come from short-sightedness or instincts such as: selfishness, racism, greed and self-centeredness. Therefore, the “cosmopolitan bond” between the people of the world If the description is accurate – can only be based only on dialogue, coexistence and the exchange of knowledge and experiences. Meaning that closed or single-minded people cannot thrive, grow and keep up with civil, scientific and cultural development. Such individuals would be subject to regression, and failure.
Three main elements
The cultural visions and initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi breathe in a space based on three main elements: benefiting from lessons of the past, spreading creative awareness in the present, and creating a cultural base that is open for future developments, and is able at the same time to confront and adapt to its circumstances, problems and questions. These are the initiatives that His Highness decided to activate in the current generation, especially among the youth. In addition to preparing the next generation, to benefit from its results and gifts, as they are inexhaustible treasures of culture and knowledge.
The Sharjah International Book Fair is one of the cultural pillars on which the project of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi was based. It is a project that was launched from Sharjah and the Emirates, to extend its resonance, radiance and impact on the ambitious future vision of the World Book Capital, and the capital of Arab and Islamic cultures, as two wings soaring in the space of enlightened knowledge, from the beginnings of the era of written documentation until our present time, which is characterized by its advanced interactive formats in the fields of reading, writing, publishing and printing.
The philosophy of cultural orientation in Sharjah is based on creating a balanced identity that takes into account Arab and Islamic roots, draws on the unique models in our historical heritage, and confidently engages in dialogue with contemporary currents in literature, visual arts, theater, cinema and other forms of expressive arts.
The presentation of theatrical works of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah in ancient world settings, such as Russia, Germany, Romania, France, and others, clearly indicates His Highness’s desire to make theater a platform for creative cultural dialogue with the other. In addition to transforming expressive arts into bridges of communication with various references. In addition to consolidating the role of Arab culture in its ability to combine specificity and comprehensiveness. Since Arabian civilization was and still is an active party in guiding the compass of the future. It has contributed strongly to the development of the different fields of science. Not only through history and traditions, or roots, memory, and geography. Rather it is also through a cultural project full of promises and wonderful surprises.
Keenness for intellectual advancement
His Highness says in one of his influential and inspiring testimonies: “There is no doubt that the thirst for knowledge, and the desire to learn about new human traditions and experiences, contributes to creating global ties that have a much greater impact than new cities or military forces, because the real essence of civilization is always based in the spirit of the people. Since they are the essence and creators of this civilization, through their extent of love and adherence to their culture. In the past, military leaders wrote the history of the world by spreading more hatred, and the decline of human values. While poets and writers wrote history with human feelings that reflect the purity of the artist.
His Highness’s statement here reflects his complete keenness for intellectual and moral advancement. Therefore, the focus on the human being as the “essence of existence” who is charged with the heavenly mission for the development of the earth, its advancement and prosperity, within the living and historically evolving process. In addition to the development of civilization since the discovery of fire, to the discovery of space.
The frequent celebration of Sharjah as a guest of honor at international book fairs confirms its tangible cultural influence globally. This helped Sharjah and the UAE take a qualitative leap in terms of cultural influence and soft power. Since Sharjah has been a guest at many international book fairs.
The Sharjah Cultural Project transformed from an intellectual fascination with a promising coastal city in the fifties of the last century, to a structure closely linked to the administrative and executive work of the government in the seventies. And then Sharjah became a prominent cultural beacon in the face of geopolitical changes in the region. Sharjah had invested in culture, and its enlightened ruler stood behind every new and renewed achievement achieved locally, regionally and globally.
A bright dream
From the corridors of the Department of Culture and Information in Sharjah in the past eighties, His Highness’s cultural dream was growing, shaped, and transcending the low and monotonous ceiling of culture. It was a bright, unique dream that did not arise out of nothing. Rather, it was the result of hard work and continuous efforts. Furthermore, the departments of culture and media were the starting point of the efforts that resulted in institutions, bodies and initiatives that keep pace with this dream, and open broad, spacious and ambitious fields for it. There are also independent bodies for theatre, heritage, archaeology, literature and others. The Sharjah Cultural Department continued its active work locally and in the Arab world through qualitative publications in the form of magazines such as: Sharjah Cultural magazine Qwafi, Al Wusta and Al Heerah from Sharjah. Considering l Heerah area an ancient and inspiring intellectual area in the emirate, and it formed with Al Mareija, Al Khan and other centers of early cultural illumination represented in literary groups and councils. Since it was gifted with the emergence of prominent intellectual and creative elites in it during the past forties and afterwards. The Cultural Department also worked on developing the Sharjah Prize for Arab Creativity. It is an award established in line with the efforts of the Ruler of Sharjah in supporting talented male and female writers, in the UAE and throughout the Arab world.
After the directives of His Highness, the Cultural Department worked to establish poetry houses in major Arab cities and metropolises, such as the Jordanian Mafraq, the Egyptian Luxor, Khartoum, Nouakchott, Tunisia and Morocco. In addition to the different interactive festivals organized by the department such as: Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival and the Sharjah Folklore Poetry Festival. Meanwhile, other cultural authorities in Sharjah are organizing important cultural events locally, across the Arab world and internationally. Such as: Sharjah Theater Days, Sharjah Heritage Days Festival, Sharjah International Narrator Forum, School Theater Festival, Scout Theater Festival, Short Plays Festival, Sharjah Theater Research Forum, Arab Theater Forum, Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial, the Islamic Arts Festival, the Khorfakkan Theater Carnival and the Sharjah International Biennial. Awards are also allocated to, Arab and international creators. Like the Sheikh Sultan Award for Best Arab Theatrical Work, which is the award emanating from the Sharjah-based Arab Theater Authority, in addition to the UNESCO-Sharjah Prize for Arab Culture.
In regard to modern libraries in Sharjah, the "House of Wisdom" library is one of the new and remarkable cultural edifices in the emirate, and it constitutes a creative and an innovative addition to those who are passionate about books, works or scientific and literary references in several languages.
As for the Sharjah Public Library, which opened in 2011, it includes all fields of the arts of literature and knowledge in the world, offering 3,008 electronic and audio books. The library contains many rare books and manuscripts that carry a historical value.
Sharjah also organizes, through its specialized museums, many art exhibitions that are luminous with international visual arts experiences and pioneering works. It also embraces young talents, and works to develop their capabilities in the fields of visual arts, photography, video arts, and more
Insightful thinking and continuous giving
The words celebrating His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi upon receiving the prestigious Simon Master Chairman’s Award during its third session in London in 2017, sums up what His Highness deserves of praise and honor for his intellectual career, his local and international cultural efforts and his unlimited intellectual giving, as it is stated in the ceremony: “His Highness the ruler of Sharjah is the most deserving person of this award, as he has worked for more than three decades to advance culture in his emirate until he made it a scientific, cultural beacon in arts, literature and various fields. Not only that, but he also extended his bids to serve culture and intellectuals in various field, in all countries of the Arab world, and worked hard to introduce the other to the treasures of Arab and Islamic cultures through his international participation in various cultural forums to present a true picture of the culture of his Arab and Islamic environment. In addition, he holds academic certificates with high degrees, that undoubtedly contributed to creating an enlightened, clear thought for his emirate and for his cultural and scientific developmental projects.
Source: Al Ittihad Newspaper - Ibrahim Al Mulla