During His Highness's speech at the ceremony, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah announced the opening of the College of Music of SPAA, and studies will begin starting from the next academic year.
His Highness considered it a valuable opportunity for those with artistic talents to join this college and learn all kinds of music, including Arabic music.
His Highness congratulated the male and female students of the Class of 2024 from the SPAA on their graduation, pointing out that this day is not the end of the road, but rather the road is open for all graduates to follow in the future, noting that they will not be alone after graduation, as everyone will stand by them and support them.
His Highness spoke about the first batch of the academy’s students, which numbered 13 male and female students, pointing out that the small number was due to a lack of talent and not a lack of demand from students, as only those with outstanding talent were accepted.
His Highness stated that the current batch is 49 male and female students, and this is an indication of the increase in the number of talents applying to the academy.
His Highness praised the competence, talent and knowledge of the academy’s students in its various specialisations, stressing that this is what His Highness aspired to with the idea of establishing the academy, and for it to be among the best art academies in the world and for everyone to be proud of its students.
His Highness wished all the students success during their future journey and that they would be keen to pass on the knowledge they have acquired.
The graduation ceremony, which was held at the academy’s theatre, began with the national anthem of the United Arab Emirates, followed by a speech by Dr. Peter Barlow, Executive Director of the SPAA, in which he expressed his thanks and appreciation to His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for His Highness's efforts in establishing the academy, proving the effectiveness of the idea at the level of professional training and education in the region, which are much needed.
Its graduates have also proven that they have the highest levels of preparation and that their entrepreneurial skills exceed expectations, which makes the academy look forward, with the support of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, to establishing companies specialised in theatrical performance, to provide their services in schools through specialised workshops for children, and to hold performances throughout the United Arab Emirates, in cooperation with the academy’s Alumni Association, the Ministry of Culture, and the institutions responsible for tourism.
He expressed the academy’s happiness with the continuous excellence of the graduates, whether at the level of continuing graduate studies, winning international awards, or serving the labour market by occupying prestigious jobs inside and outside the country, such as Disney World choosing a group of students to work with them. He also touched on the academy's cadres winning many international awards through their various participations.
During his speech, he announced the readiness to launch the Master of Fine Arts programme and the start of construction of the new College of Music next September. The academy will also host the “World Stage Design” event, which is a prominent international event held for the first time in an Arab country.
He discussed the artist’s mission and his role in society, which has been expressed by many great playwrights and writers throughout the ages due to its importance, especially in times of crisis. The artist's voice must be raised to show the features of virtue and values in society because he is concerned with the basic characteristics of imagination, creativity, awareness, love of language, appreciation of knowledge, bias toward society, the ability to empathise with all the details of the human condition and social discipline, improving public behaviour, showing the complexity of human life, and having the skill to produce permanent art, citing the words of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, in which he said: “Theatre has an important role in serving societal issues, and attention must be paid to serious theatre, which constitutes a national push and alerts to the dangers besetting the nation.”
He concluded his speech by offering advice to the graduates, urging them to adhere to values and ethics and work to be true artists, saying: “When you leave us, take control of the world and change it. Be good citizens, using your art and make us - the theatre people - able to raise our theatrical mirror that shows the meaning of life in the world.”
For her part, artist Haifa Hussein, the guest of honour at the ceremony, gave a speech in which she praised the efforts and support of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for art and artists, discussing her story of searching to develop her expertise in the field of theatre, that she missed during her work as an actress to develop herself, and she did not find that place that would provide her with complete knowledge.
She added, saying, “Today I am a television star, but I feel that something is missing, and I am absolutely certain that if I had studied and learned, I would now be among the geniuses of theatrical art that we are proud of and learn from every day.”
Haifa Hussein emphasised that theatre remains forever despite the demise of humans, considering the academy a beacon for all dreamers in the field of theatre, providing study seats for art lovers to learn from this field and its schools, and wishing success to all graduates in achieving their goals and aspirations that serve the artistic field.
For his part, graduate Ahmed Al Mazem, head of the academy’s Alumni Association, gave a speech in which he discussed his experience in studying and the great development in the academy in terms of students and the teaching and administrative staff, as he was among the first batch in the academy, pointing to the announcement of the establishment of the Alumni Association, which consists of a homogeneous group of graduates of the first and second batches, and aims to develop future plans that will provide opportunities for guidance, cooperation and sharing successes, to give back to the institution that gave them so much and prepared them for their professional lives. In addition to specialised programmes to inspire future generations of academy students and promising artists in various theatrical performing fields.
He pointed to the great support provided by Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Chairperson of the academy’s Board of Trustees and President of the Sharjah Art Foundation, to the academy’s students and to art in the Emirate of Sharjah and around the world. He said: “Her great efforts and the support she provides are a source of great inspiration for all of us.”
He concluded his speech with a message to the academy’s graduates, male and female, to always work to support authenticity and establish society’s virtuous values and culture through the various arts they present, wishing them success in their creative journey.
Graduates Sultan Al Khail and Stacey Vale, on behalf of their fellow graduates, male and female, of the Class of 2024, presented a speech in which they expressed their thanks and appreciation to His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, pointing out that His Highness’s passion and interest in theatre was the main motivation for their love for this beautiful art, and that His Highness’s vision and dedication to supporting the arts will constitute an incentive for the academy’s graduates to always remain productive and influential in the world of art and culture.
The two graduates pointed out the great efforts made by the academy over the past years in studying, training, qualifying and preparing the students so that they can master everything they specialise in, and the ability to be creative on stage, in front of the camera, and behind the scenes to enhance their experience, which is full of challenges and difficulties, in addition to the exemplary cooperation between students and their assistance to each other, contributing to the formation of their artistic personalities and the development and refinement of their talents.
They concluded their speech with a message to the graduates, male and female, to always challenge themselves by new experiences and dreams, in order to create and tell beautiful artistic stories, wishing them success in their future professional lives.
His Highness Ruler of Sharjah distributed certificates to the male and female graduates, amid great joy from their families, with His Highness taking a group photo with the graduates.
The students of the Musical Theatre Department presented a singing segment in which they demonstrated their great talent and abilities in the field of theatrical singing that they acquired during their studies at the academy.
The number of graduates from the second batch reached 49 male and female graduates, in various colleges, with 12 male and female students majoring in the Bachelor of Arts in Acting, 13 of them majoring in the Bachelor of Arts in Musical Theatre, 13 of them majoring in the Bachelor of Arts in Production Arts, and 11 male and female graduates from the professional dance diploma programme.
The graduation ceremony witnessed the presence of Abdullah Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Department of Culture, Mohammed Obaid Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Protocol Department, Dr. Khalid Omar Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Media City (Shams), Edward Hobart, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the country, and a number of members of the Board of Trustees of the SPAA, members of the teaching and administrative staff, and parents of students.
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