Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum Honors Four Tunisian Writers

The 15th edition of the Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum pays tribute to four distinguished Tunisian writers. WAM
The 15th edition of the Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum pays tribute to four distinguished Tunisian writers. WAM
TT

Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum Honors Four Tunisian Writers

The 15th edition of the Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum pays tribute to four distinguished Tunisian writers. WAM
The 15th edition of the Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum pays tribute to four distinguished Tunisian writers. WAM

The 15th edition of the Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum unfolded in the Tunisian city of Sidi Bou Said, paying tribute to four distinguished Tunisian writers, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported Thursday.

The writers are Dr. Al Manji Al Kaabi, Al Tahami Al Hani, Dr. Fawzia Al Zaouq, and Salem Al Shaabani.

According to WAM, the forum comes in implementation of the directives of Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to honor literary figures who have contributed to serving contemporary Arab culture and it is held for the third time in Tunisia after celebrating, in two previous sessions, an elite group of Tunisian writers.

The honoring ceremony took place at the Nejma Ezzahra Palace in Sidi Bou Said in the presence of Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Head of the Department of Culture in Sharjah; Dr. Hayat Qatat Al Qarmazi, Tunisian Minister of Cultural Affairs; Dr. Iman Al Salami, UAE Ambassador to Tunisia; Professor Muhammad Ibrahim Al Qasir, Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs, alongside a distinguished gathering of intellectuals, writers, and the families of the honorees.

“Today, we gather for the 15th session of the Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum, honoring four Tunisian writers—a testament to the robust cooperation between the Sharjah Department of Culture and the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, culminating in the forum being hosted in Tunisia for the third time,” said Al Owais.

Al Qarmazi conveyed gratitude to the Ruler of Sharjah, commending the initiative that transcends borders and celebrates cultural figures throughout the Arab world. She lauded the Department of Culture in Sharjah for its unwavering commitment to recognizing Arab creators and showcasing their intellectual and literary contributions through the "Sharjah Cultural Awards Forum."

The awardees acknowledged Sharjah's significant cultural endeavors in fostering creativity and honoring creators.

Al Owais and Al Qaseer, along with Al Qarmazi and Al Salami, presented certificates of appreciation to the four honorees, bearing the signature of Sharjah’s ruler, in acknowledgment of their outstanding creative contributions.



AlUla World Archaeology Conference to Explore Challenges, Future of Nomadic Societies

The conference will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world. SPa
The conference will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world. SPa
TT

AlUla World Archaeology Conference to Explore Challenges, Future of Nomadic Societies

The conference will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world. SPa
The conference will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world. SPa

The Royal Commission for AlUla will host a global archaeology conference addressing the future of archeology and the heritage of nomadic societies on October 30-31.
The conference, set to alternate with the AlUla World Archaeology Summit year after year, will bring together researchers and experts in archaeology and cultural heritage from around the world.
At the Maraya mirrored wonder nestled amidst the captivating landscape of AlUla, the event will consist of presentations, dialogues, workshops, and case studies, and will showcase a collection of archaeological artifacts discovered in AlUla by archaeological missions.
The conference will highlight the essential role of mobility in shaping the world we know today. Since prehistoric times, mobility has been the means to access new opportunities, improve living conditions, explore, and address environmental challenges, natural disasters, and social and political instabilities, among others.
While mobility remains challenging for some, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic's movement restrictions at the time, the conference provides an opportunity to shed light on various aspects of mobility and nomadic societies, challenging traditional assumptions about mobility in the past and present.
The conference will focus on the fundamental role of prehistoric mobility, when movement was the primary means to reach areas with new opportunities and seek life chances. Caravan mobility served as a means to address environmental challenges and natural disasters.
At a time when mobility remains a challenge, the conference offers an opportunity to illuminate different facets of mobility and nomadic societies.
Royal Commission for AlUla Vice President of Culture Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani said in a statement issued Tuesday that the conference aims to provide an advanced and pioneering platform for dialogue and collaboration, and that it will alternate with the summit the following year.
The commission, he said, seeks to maintain the momentum generated by the summit last year through the conference, while preparing for AlUla World Archaeology Summit in 2025.
Alsuhaibani said today AlUla is one of the most active regions in the world regarding archaeological exploration, with over 30,000 archaeological sites identified, and 12 ongoing search projects in its rich cultural landscape.
“AlUla has held a unique position for thousands of years as a crossroads for civilizations, serving as a beacon for cultural and intellectual exchange,” Alsuhaibani said.
Key speakers at the conference include Professor Willeke Wendrich from the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of California, Los Angeles, archaeology Professor Stefano Biagetti from the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain, and Peter Debrine, leader of Sustainable Tourism Programme at UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Paris.
Research overseen by the Royal Commission for AlUla by Saudi and international archaeologists has shed light on various wonders of AlUla's history through the ages, including the massive stone structures known as “mustatil” (rectangle, in Arabic).
Among the discovered wonders are also the ancient stone-built traps for animals, known as “desert kites,” the long “funerary avenues” that connected oases and pastures through corridors lined with tombs, and the dwellings known as the “standing stone circles.”
Studies indicate that early societies in northwestern Arabian Peninsula were more complex and interconnected with the broader region than previously believed.
The conference is anticipated to host the first-ever global exhibition featuring archaeological pieces from the National Archaeological Museum of Naples in Italy. The agenda also includes field visits to prominent archaeological sites in AlUla and surrounding areas of note, including Tayma and Khaybar.