SCRF 2024 enriches 157,000 visitors with 1,000 hours of activities

The 15th Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2024) marked a new chapter in its ongoing journey of fostering creativity and knowledge to 157,381 visitors throughout the 12 days, amassing more than 1,000 hours of enriching content.

Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) under the theme ‘Once Upon a Hero’, the festival, held at Expo Centre Sharjah, hosted over 1,500 activities including workshops, panel discussions, and performances, spanning various domains such as literature, arts, sports, technology, illustration, music, and more. This event was a reflection of the visionary leadership and directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and his wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA). Their focus on nurturing the knowledge and creativity of the youth, along with enhancing their life skills, aligns with Sharjah’s commitment to fostering a knowledge-driven society.

To further the Sharjah Ruler’s support of the regional and global book industries, His Highness has ordered the allocation of AED2.5 million to buy the latest titles from participating publishers and booksellers participating in SCRF 2024.

The Ruler of Sharjah presented honours to the winners of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival Award and the Sharjah Children’s Book Illustration Award. Another highlight of the festival was announcing the winners of the 12th edition of the Sharjah Children’s Book Illustration Award, alongside the anticipated Poetry Knight Competition.

Latifa Al Kitbi was announced first-place winner of the 12th edition of the Sharjah Children’s Book Illustration Award, second place went to Jury Al Mazmi, and Munira Al Kaabi came in third place.