Sharjah24: The Sharjah Social Services Department (SSSD) is taking part in the 14th edition of the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, under the slogan "Be the Hero of Your Story," from May 1st to 12th at Expo Sharjah. The festival is an annual event organised under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and under the patronage of his wife Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah. The department organises through its platform at the festival a variety of interactive, educational, and entertainment activities that enrich the knowledge and experiences of children, helping them to refine their creativity and innovations.

On this occasion, Mariam Ibrahim Al-Qasir, Director of the Social Education Department at SSSD, said that the department's participation in this important annual event aims to ensure its involvement in all activities in the emirate, as well as to provide an appropriate opportunity to convey many awareness, educational, and preventive messages regarding many problems facing Emirati families in particular and Arab families in general. “Therefore, all our activities and programmes spread over 12 days will carry a wealth of knowledge and values for all members of the community who are keen to visit the festival.”

Al-Qasir said that the new aspect of our participation in this edition is the participation of Safe Digital Life ambassadors in the festival's activities on a daily basis, allowing them the opportunity to introduce this initiative launched by the department about a year ago, with the aim of training and qualifying a team of students aged between 10 and 16 years old to become specialised ambassadors in spreading awareness about the importance of safe digital life among their peers in schools. In addition to raising awareness among school students about safe digital behaviours and preparing them to take on leadership roles to become ambassadors of the future, and forming the students' character by enhancing their abilities and skills.

10 Daily Activities:
The Director of the Social Education Department added that our programme includes the presentation of 10 diverse activities daily, focusing on 4 criteria: instilling values, prevention, protection, and awareness. All workshops revolve around these criteria, allowing festival visitors, including children, to participate in their segments, as well as parents and the public. In the prevention workshops, programmes are presented on how to say no to those who harm you, digital safety and children's rights, and what tomorrow will be like. As for awareness values, workshops are presented on topics such as ambition, responsibility, good company, bullying, cooperation, and giving.

Volunteer Opportunity:
A group of volunteers from the Sharjah Volunteering Centre participates in the volunteer opportunity "Leaders of the 2024 Sharjah Children's Reading Festival" launched by the Sharjah Book Authority to contribute to the organisational work and ceremonies at the festival sites. This is a special volunteering opportunity for college and university students. They contribute to organisational work and ceremonies at exhibition sites and provide support and assistance to participants, visitors, technical support team, financial resources team.