SSSD takes part in Sharjah Heritage Days 23rd edition

The participation of the Department’s Social Education Administration is one of the largest within the department, delivering 78 workshops in total, including 60 awareness workshops and 18 specialist workshops on Emirati Sana’ etiquette, throughout the festival.

Wide participation across Sharjah and Its regions

Maryam Al Mehairi, Director of the Social Education Administration, said the department is keen to attend this heritage event annually, which attracts people of all ages as well as tourists and expatriates, particularly as it is held in the heritage area of Heart of Sharjah.

She noted that the department is delivering 152 activities overall, including 48 programmes and workshops in Sharjah city, with the remaining activities taking place in Khorfakkan, Al Hamriyah, Al Dhaid, Kalba and Dibba Al Hisn.

Preserving authenticity and cultural identity

Al Mehairi stressed that all activities reflect a traditional character in harmony with the scale and spirit of the heritage festival. Over 11 days, the programme highlights the authenticity of Emirati heritage and the deep cultural and historical connection between the past and the present.

She explained that the department’s participation focuses on workshops and competitions led by social education specialists, centred on the value of Emirati Sana’. This focus stems from a strong belief in the importance of instilling these values in children, particularly in an era dominated by smart technologies that can distance them from their culture and traditions. The programmes aim to strengthen national identity and promote community values through educational activities.

“Darb Al Yedah” and heritage-based workshops

Al Mehairi revealed that the programme was carefully designed to be purposeful and rich in daily activities that address social, national and heritage values. Examples include the workshop “Darb Al Yedah Mawadda”, delivered by one of the community’s mothers from Daristat Al Ilm Nour, which features stories about Sana’.

Other workshops include “Al Madhhab Dhahab”, a collection of stories about traditional clothing; a handicrafts workshop using fabrics and sea sand to create the UAE flag in a glass bottle; and sessions on the sea, diving, pearls and the burqa. These heritage elements are repeatedly used to embed cultural knowledge in children’s minds.

Passing Emirati values to future generations

Al Mehairi concluded that the Social Education Administration’s participation in Sharjah Heritage Days is part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen national identity and to pass on authentic Emirati values to future generations. Through diverse programmes and competitions, the department reaffirms its role in supporting the community and raising awareness of values such as tolerance, cooperation and sustainability, reinforcing Emirati heritage as a bridge between the past, present and future.