The Creative Stage pulsated with activity as visitors gravitated to the open-air amphitheatre strategically located at the centre of Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP). Lounging across plush beanies, seated on vibrantly coloured cushions, the gathering crowds cheered, clapped and snapped their fingers as they enjoyed seamless performances.
Highlight of the sessions was the inspirational speech titled ‘Why It’s Imperative to be Multi-skilled in a Post-Covid World,’ by multi-faceted personality Adwa Al Dakheel, the 27-year-old Saudi entrepreneur recently been named among top three most influential social media figures in the Middle East, and has around 2 million followers on social media.
“The question I never liked as a kid was what do you want to do when you grow up? I always used to ask myself why does this question sound like it only has to be one thing? Are we only here to be put into a box or are we here to leave a legacy beyond that?” asked entrepreneur-Investor-Pilot-Diver-Writer-Musician Al Dakheel, who is also the founder and CEO of award-winning Falak Investment Hub which supports and promotes Saudi start-ups.
Sharing her journey of success, Al Dakheel told audiences how her childhood stuttering problem initiated her to having conversations with herself, since it was hard to speak to others. Over the years, Al Dakheel took to reading, writing, playing squash and became the Brand Outreach Ambassador for UNHCR, while simultaneously forging her way in the world of finance and investments as a venture capitalist. “What we do for a living is that we live and we don’t survive, and that is up to you. It is not up to society to tell you ‘be focused on one thing and forget the rest.’ We are made of so much more,” she said.
Hassan Ahmad Dennaoui, a popular radio host known as "Big Hass," hosted the Change Maker session at the Creative Stage. Big Hass, a Saudi Arabian hip-hop guru who believes perseverance is key to success, has been presenting the Kingdom's only hip-hop radio show for the past 11 years.
Other equally powerful performers who took to the stage to regale audiences included Emirati Maryam Alshehie, writer and poet of Spoken Word Poetry, Emirati singer-songwriter Abdullah Alshamsi, who has more than 115,000 TikTok followers and Sudanese songwriter-singer Jindi.
Singer, songwriter, rapper, activist, and mentor Malmouna Youssef aka Mumu Fresh, delivered a highly motivating talk on ‘How to Make it Big in the Music Industry,’ before hip-hop band Quick Style took to the stage performing to a packed crowd that erupted into endless cheers. Winners of the 2009 Norway's Got Talent title, Quick Style’s unique dance is influenced by various cultures and represents a way of living and thinking that aims to inspire viewers.
With the creative industry being one of the fastest-growing sectors worldwide, SEF 2022’s objective is to highlight how creativity also has many advantages within the business world. The festival provides a space for community engagement by highlighting the significance of various art forms that help stimulate creativity and innovation.
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