Sharjah 24: Children occupy a notable place in the strategy of the Sharjah Museums Authority (SMA), which makes the celebration of the World Children’s Day, that falls on November 20 every year, an important occasion in which it celebrates and engages children through a range of specific activities and events.
The authority gives children a great attention in its annual plans, which derives from the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, that young people and children are the future of the nation.
The plans of the SMA are full of an integrated package of entertainment and educational activities and programmes for children, with the aim of raising their awareness of the importance of museums and their educational status, allowing them to unleash their imaginations and enhance their abilities and knowledge.
As part of its efforts to achieve its goals in the field of children’s awareness, the authority organised 4,635 comprehensive programmes for schools and families last year, in addition to 25 community programmes and a series of workshops, tours and cultural discussions in the various museums.
In addition to launching the characters of "Hamdan and Alia", ambassadors of museums affiliated with the SMA, with the aim of connecting children and the new generation to museums, through an enjoyable educational method.
The series of stories was published in both Arabic and English in 8 museums, including the Sharjah Science Museum, Al Mahatta Museum, and Sharjah Heritage Museum.
The authority also launched its unique programme "Ambassadors of Sharjah Museums", which targets children and adolescents, and seeks to raise students' awareness of the importance of guidance, promote this culture, and introduce them to the importance and status of museums in societies.
It is worth noting that the SMA strives to organise entertainment and educational events and programmes that contribute to enriching children’s memory with a wealth of knowledge about the history and heritage of the Emirate of Sharjah.