SFCC launches 10th Emirati Women Writers Forum

November 24, 2025 / 11:00 PM

Sharjah24: The tenth edition of the Emirati Women Writers Forum, organised by the Cultural Office at the Sharjah Family and Community Council (SFCC) , commenced at the Theatre of the Arab Educational Centre for Gulf States, with the participation of Emirati women writers in the fields of poetry, novels, short stories, and literary criticism.

The forum was attended by Dr Sheikha Issa Al Ary, Saleha Obaid Ghabesh, Head of the Cultural Office, and Dr Issa Saleh Al Hammadi, Director of the Centre, along with a number of officials and cultural enthusiasts.

Empowering Emirati Women and Highlighting New Talent

Writer Najeeba Al Rifa’i opened the forum’s activities, stressing the importance of the event in strengthening the status of Emirati women and showcasing emerging talents, noting their contributions to establishing the local literary movement.

The forum featured three main sessions, beginning with “Implicit Cultural Patterns in Emirati Women’s Novels,” presented by Dr Azeeza Al Tai, which explored how female authors employ heritage elements and collective memory in fiction. This was followed by “Emirati Short Story: Form and Vision” by Dr Zainab Al Yasi, discussing the development of the short story between realism and fantasy while highlighting diverse literary experiences. The programme concluded with a poetry reading session featuring poets Salma Al Hashimi, Sheikha Al Mutairi, and Zainab Al Baloushi, who presented national and human-themed works that reflected the deep connection between poetry, life, and society.