SCRF 2025 to feature 50 cultural events with global experts

Wednesday, April 23

The cultural programme will commence with two sessions at the Culture Forum.

• "Artificial Intelligence and the Rise of New Writers?" featuring Dr. Sumaya Al Maadeed, Asma Zeinel, and Talib Ghuloom.
• "Making Big Ideas Simple" with Linda Booth Sweeney and Fatima Al Mazrouei.

Thursday, April 24

Activities kick off with students meeting author and cartoonist Stephan Pastis in the Thought Hall.
Other highlights include:

• "Little Minds... Big Dreams" seminar at the Culture Forum with Shane Lee, Amal Al Hangari, and Iman Al Yousuf.
• "Building the Narrative: The Essential Role of Picture Books" with Rahat Kadouji, Bara'a Al Awar, and Dr. Abdullah Al Sharhan.

Friday, April 25

The Culture Forum will host:

• "Choosing the Right Book for Your Little Reader" with Colin Nielsen, Samina Mishra, Dr. Ahlam Nuywar, and Nadia Al Najjar.
• "Writing for Well-being" panel featuring Karina Patel-Sage and Khalaf Ahmed Khalaf.

Saturday, April 26

Events include:

• "Graphic Novels for Reading Fluency" workshop by literary agent Janna Morishima.
• "Stories That Unite" at the Culture Forum with Rhonda Roumani, Al Hassan Bin Mouna, Dr Nizar Al Qamari, and Badriya Al Shamsi.
• "The Creative Journey of Stephan Pastis" session.

Sunday, April 27

Highlights include:

• "Unlocking the Teenage Mind" workshop by Nicola Morgan.
• "Poetry and Language Development" with Abdo Al Zarra, Amal Nasser, and Asia Abdellawi.
• "Navigating the Storm" with Nicola Morgan and Dr. Asmaa Alaa El-Din.

Monday, April 28

• Students will meet Elisabetta Dami in the Thought Hall.
• Culture Forum sessions:
• "Beyond Imagination" with Sarwat Chadda, Dr. Fatima Zahra Ben Arab, Maitha Al Khayat, and Hessa Al Muhairi.
• "The Charm of Rhymes in Children's Books" with Sital Gorasia Chapman and Bara'a Al Awar.
• "Education Systems and Students' Creativity" with Sehrish Farooq, Fatima Al Bannani, Dima Al Alami, Maryam Al Sharaf, and Philip Manning.

Tuesday, April 29

• Nicola Morgan returns for another student session in the Thought Hall.
• Culture Forum:
• "Creative Writing - How to Write a Bestseller" with Rukhsana Khan.
• "The Power of Picture Books" with Chloe Savage, Shaimaa Al Qallaf, Khalid Al Khawar, and Pete Ferry.
• "Building Strong Foundations" with Maryam Shah, Fatima Al Bannani, and Mohammed Al Hassan Al Sajjad.
• "Family Counselling: How to Build Healthy Relationships" by Aisha Abdullah.

Wednesday, April 30

• Student session with Varun Duggirala in the Thought Hall.
• "Turning Media into a Creative Superpower" with Amrita Gandhi, Munajat Al Tayyib, Sarah Taleb Al Suhail, and Ahmed Al Aidarous.
• "Is the Tradition of Bedtime Stories Fading Away?" with Rukhsana Khan, Amal Al Hangari, and Dr. Maysa Ghadeer.

Thursday, May 1

• Thought Hall will host a meeting with C.G. Salamander.
• Culture Forum:
• Exclusive seminar by Sanith Santhasa Piyadigamage.
• "Why Graphic Novels Win Over Young Readers" with C.G. Salamander, Maryam Al Ghaffli, Lavanya Karthik, Fatima Bukhamsin, and Abdulaziz Othman.
• "Determining Children's Hidden Talents Through Reading" with Hannah Lee, Dr. Amani Al Najem, Lina Al Dossouki, and Muthoni Garla.

Friday, May 2

• "Nature Stories" at the Culture Forum with Brendan Wenzel, Dr. Ihab Al Qastawi, and Fatima Salem Al Suwaidi.
• "Crafting Stories That Resonate with Today’s Children" with Andrea Rowe, Maryam Hassan, Dr. Bayan Amro, and Fatima Al Amri.
• "Fostering Emotional Intelligence from an Early Age" with Varun Duggirala, Sarah Al Dhafiri, and Maya Al Hawari.

Saturday, May 3

• "Inter-School Bait Bazi Championship" in the Thought Hall.
• "Beyond the Manuscript: Navigating Self-Publishing Success" with Christophe Sacco.
• "Celebrating the Strength of Family Bonds" with Aarti Khatwani Bhatia, Dr. Mohammed Al Maamari, and Mohammed Al Shaer.

Sunday, May 4

The festival will conclude with:

• UAE National Young Authors Exhibition presented by BriBooks.
• Book launch and exhibition featuring Shantanu Pathak and Kashish Chaula.