SMC reviews media entities’ reports, achievements, and plans

His Highness began the meeting by welcoming the attendees and commending the achievements of media agencies and institutions in the emirate over the past year, emphasising the importance of building on these successes in the current year and working towards the goals outlined in the media strategies. These strategies focus on integrating efforts, anticipating future challenges, and finding effective solutions. His Highness highlighted the need to strive for institutional excellence, with a unified vision that reflects Sharjah’s identity and its role as a leading media platform, delivering exceptional content.

Discussions on key media topics

During the meeting, the council addressed several key topics concerning the media sector in the Emirate of Sharjah. They reviewed reports from the entities under the Sharjah Media Council, highlighting their major achievements over the past period and discussing their plans for the future.

Report from the General Secretariat

The Council examined the report from the General Secretariat of the Sharjah Media Council, which presented the final results of the 2024 strategy's outcomes. It also discussed the ongoing project to update the media entities' strategy for 2025-2029. The second phase of this update, focusing on operational plans, projects, services, and the development of institutional work environments, was reviewed, along with monitoring performance indicators to turn challenges into actionable projects for the strategy's duration.

Filming permits and customer satisfaction

Moreover, the report covered filming permits issued in 2024, detailing the types of permits granted for both ground and aerial filming, totaling 143 permits. It included an analysis of these permits as well as a survey assessing customer satisfaction from the companies and institutions that applied for them.

Sharjah Broadcasting Authority's report

The Council reviewed the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority's report, highlighting its achievements in 2024 and key projects planned for 2025. The report covered major events organised by the Authority, its external participations and accolades, as well as notable statistics on views and engagement across digital platforms, social media, and the "Maraya" platform.

Sharjah Government Media Bureau's report

The Council reviewed Sharjah Government Media Bureau's report, which outlined key events planned for the year, including the International Photography Festival "Xposure" set to launch on February 20 and the Ramadan Majlis (Council). The report also highlighted the media coverage efforts managed by the Bureau.

Sharjah Media City’s report

The meeting further reviewed the Sharjah Media City ("Shams") report, highlighting key events the city participated in over the past year. It also covered notable developments, achievements, and the city's ongoing efforts to create an optimal environment for companies, institutions, and innovators across various sectors.

Key developments in Shams' plans
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The report also outlined key developments in the city's plans, including the "Shams Award for Arabic Content," the Modern Studios Project, new entertainment platforms, the “Shams Comedy Club,” and the “Shams Innovation Centre.”

His Highness visits Quranic Manuscripts Exhibition

His Highness, the Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, visited the ‘Eternal Letters: Qur’an Manuscripts from the Abdul Rahman Al Qwais Collection’ exhibition at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation.

His Highness tours the Exhibition

His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi toured the exhibition, exploring its various halls. The exhibition features 81 Quranic manuscripts, showcased for the first time, highlighting the heritage of Arabic calligraphy and manuscript aesthetics from different eras and countries. It presents rare examples of Quran production, emphasising the preservation, decoration, binding, and colouring of these sacred texts.

Sections of the Quranic Manuscripts Exhibition

During his tour, His Highness the Deputy Ruler of Sharjah explored the exhibition's seven sections, each representing different historical periods of Quranic manuscripts, pages, and copies in various sizes and fonts. The sections also showcased Islamic decorations, illustrating the evolution of Arabic and Islamic calligraphy over time. His Highness received detailed explanations about the development of Quranic manuscripts throughout history.

Themes of the Exhibition

The exhibition’s several sections included themes such as: "From Text to Art: The Early Islamic Centuries," "The Art of Writing in an Era of Change: 10th to 13th Centuries," "Andalusia and North Africa: The Western Tradition," "Imperial Designs: Iran, India, and Türkiye," and "The Lineage of Calligraphers: Ottoman Script Traditions."

Meeting attendees

The meeting was attended by His Highness the Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, who was accompanied on the tour by Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority; Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau; Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansouri, Secretary General of the Sharjah Media Council; Rashid Abdullah Al Obad, Director of Sharjah Media City (Shams); Salem Ali Al Ghaithi, Director of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority; Alya Bu Ghanem Al Suwaidi, Director of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau; and Hessa Abdullah Al Hammadi, Assistant Secretary General of the Sharjah Media Council.