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Marawed Magazine Dedicates Section to Highlight Sharjah Heritage Days

Marawed Magazine Dedicates Section to Highlight Sharjah Heritage Days
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Marawed Magazine Dedicates Section to Highlight Sharjah Heritage Days

Marawed Magazine Dedicates Section to Highlight Sharjah Heritage Days

The 28th issue of Marawed Magazine, released by the UAE's Sharjah Heritage Institute, features a dedicated section entitled "The World's Heritage in Sharjah," that covers the 18th edition of the Sharjah Heritage Days Festival.

Organized by the institute under the patronage of Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates, and the Ruler of Sharjah, and under the supervision of Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Musallam, president of the Sharjah Heritage Institute, the festival explored the role of heritage weeks organized across the world in enhancing cultural communication, and civilized cultural dialogue in the countries hosted by the emirate during its 18th edition.

Sharjah Heritage Days is held annually in April, as part of the world's Heritage Day celebrations.

In this issue, we can also read other topics including "Things from the Past" by Ali al-Abdan; "Dibba Al-Hisn…Memory of History and Heritage" by Dr. Abdullah al-Moghni; "Sharjah Communicates with the World's Cultures" by Aisha Ghabesh; "Sharjah's Efforts to Protect Heritage in the Eyes of Arab Artists, and Intellects" by Hajjaj Salama; "Sheikh Sultan Al Qasimi's Initiatives to Preserve Arab, and Global Heritage"; "UAE Uses Heritage to Fuel the Future" by Fatima Sultan al-Mazroui; "World's Heritage in UAE … Journey with Local Character" by Fatima Sultan al-Mazroui; and "Curricula of Writing Dreams' Interpretation in Arabic Heritage" by Ali al-Abdan.

It also features other pieces including "The Art of Voracity" by Ali al-Aashr; "Encryption … Concealing the Trace" by Ali Ahmed al-Mughni; "Ayash Yahyawi … the Arab who Adored the UAE Heritage" by Muhammad Abdullah Noureldine; "Bibliomania … Disease of Intellects" by Hussein al-Rawi; "Glance on the Accent of Al Awazem Tribe in Kuwait" by Talal Saad al-Rumaydi; "The Friends' Notebook" by Asmaa al-Zarouni; and "Agriculture in Popular Emirati Literature."

Run by Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Musallam, Marawed is a magazine that focuses on the Emirati, Arab and global heritage. Its editorial board includes Assistant Editor Majid Bouchelibi, head of the libraries and information association at the Sharjah Heritage Institute, and Editorial Manager Dr. Mouni Bounama, director of Content and Publishing Department at the institute, in addition to Ali al-Abdan, A'tij al-Qubaisi, Aisha al-Shamsi, Sara Ahmed, Sara Ibrahim, and Editorial Secretary Ahmed al-Shenawi.

The magazine is issued every month by the Sharjah Heritage Institute.

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Fusion Between Culture and Modernity as Children Dance in Kenyan Refugee Camp

Young refugee children from the Acholi Dancers group rehearse their traditional dance at a Child-Friendly Space within the Kalobeyei Refugee Settlement in Turkana, Kenya, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)
Young refugee children from the Acholi Dancers group rehearse their traditional dance at a Child-Friendly Space within the Kalobeyei Refugee Settlement in Turkana, Kenya, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)
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Fusion Between Culture and Modernity as Children Dance in Kenyan Refugee Camp

Young refugee children from the Acholi Dancers group rehearse their traditional dance at a Child-Friendly Space within the Kalobeyei Refugee Settlement in Turkana, Kenya, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)
Young refugee children from the Acholi Dancers group rehearse their traditional dance at a Child-Friendly Space within the Kalobeyei Refugee Settlement in Turkana, Kenya, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Kasuku)

Beads of sweat drip from the faces of young girls and boys as they dance to the rhythm of traditional drums and open calabashes, while their peers watch them in awe.

These are refugee children, some who were born in one of Africa’s largest camps — Kakuma, located in northern Kenya, where more than 300,000 refugees’ livelihoods have been affected by funding cuts that have halved monthly food rations, The Associated Press said.

The children use the Acholi traditional dance as a distraction from hunger and have perfected a survival skill to skip lunches as they stretch their monthly food rations that are currently at 30% of the UN nutritional recommendation per person.

The Acholi people, mostly from Uganda and South Sudan, are among refugees who live in Kakuma camp, which was established in 1992 as a safe haven for people fleeing conflict from dozens of east African countries.

For a moment, the melodious sound of one of the refugee mothers stops the playground buzz of activity as dozens of children sit down to enjoy the traditional dance performance.

The colorful swings doting the community center at Kakuma’s Kalobeyei Refugee Settlement were donated by a Swiss organization, Terre des hommes, which still manages the playground aptly named “Furaha” — Swahili for Happiness.

But the happiness of these children isn't guaranteed now as funding cuts have affected operations here. Fewer resources and staff are available to engage the children and ensure their safety.

One of the dancers, Gladis Amwony, has lived in Kakuma for 8 years now. In recent years, she has started taking part in the Acholi traditional dances to keep her Ugandan roots alive.

The now 20-year-old doesn't imagine ever going back to Uganda and has no recollection of life in her home village.

“I’m happiest when I dance, I feel connected to my ancestors,” the soft-spoken Amwony says after her dance session.

While Amwony and her friends are looking for a cultural connection, just about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from their village in neighboring Kalobeyei Village 3, some boys are in touch with modernity.

The five boys have been practicing a one-of-a-kind dance where they mimic robots, complete with face masks that hide their human faces.

They make their sharp synchronized moves that they have been perfecting for months.

The boys will be part of performances that will be showcased during this year’s World Refugee Day, as an example of the talent and resilience that exists among the refugee community.

This younger generation of dancers make precision moves in a small hall with play and learning items stored in a cabinet that is branded with an American flag, an indication that it was donated by the U.S government.

Such donations are now scarce, with the United States having cut down on funding in March.

These cuts have affected operations here, with the future stardom hopes for these children dimming by the day.

The center, which previously featured daily programs such as taekwondo and ballet, may not be operational in a few months if the funding landscape remains as is.

“We are now reducing some of the activities because we are few. The staff are few and even per day we only have one staff remaining in the center and it is really hard for him/her to conduct 500 children,” said John Papa, a community officer for Terre des hommes in Kalobeyei Village 3.

These programs do more than entertain the children — they keep them away from issues such as child labor, abuse and crime which as a major concern for humanitarian organizations in Kakuma.

And as the children dance and play beneath the sweltering sun, the only hope is that these child friendly spaces remain operational for years.