Senior citizens share heritage with children in Sharjah nurseries

The programme is led by a group of mothers and grandmothers who graduated from the “Knowledge is Light” literacy programme, which lasted for seven years. These women had a strong desire to continue learning or educating others by passing on their experiences and knowledge, thus giving rise to the “Emirati Etiquette Specialist” initiative, which was launched during the recent Eid Al Adha.

Sustainable Learning

Naema Al Zarouni, Director of Social Education at the Department and supervisor of the initiative, said that “Emirati Etiquette Specialist” is part of the broader “Knowledge is Light” initiative for sustainable education for the elderly, under the theme “We empower for a life well-lived and an impact that inspires.” It allows senior citizens to stay active even after completing non-formal education classes, specifically designed for the elderly. The goal is to enable them to play an active role in the community by passing on Emirati heritage and values to children in an interactive way.

Empowering Senior Citizens

She explained that the initiative aims to empower elderly citizens by giving them the opportunity to spend time with children in Sharjah nurseries, instilling values and reviving traditions. They share love and stories from their memory of the beautiful past, including customs and traditions, as well as teaching children about old crafts and trades that were once a source of livelihood. Stories from the past hold many lessons, but today’s children—due to exposure to diverse cultures and the allure of modern technology—have become disconnected from their roots, often unaware of or indifferent to their heritage.

Nursery Children

She added that this is why the Social Services Department launched and continues to support the initiative in nurseries—to help instill values and revive traditions among today’s young generation. The initiative is divided into four phases: The first phase involved selecting elderly participants specialised in Emirati etiquette; the second focused on designing interactive programs, workshops, and educational games; the third was the implementation of the workshops in the community by the senior participants; and the fourth phase will assess the initiative’s impact and guide its future development, as it is intended to continue for years to come.

The initiative has received positive feedback from children since its launch. So far, four workshops have been conducted in addition to an opening session focused on Eid greetings. In that session, children learned traditional phrases such as “Eidkum Mubarak,” along with the etiquette of Emirati dress and polite greetings for Eid. They also participated in a creative activity, sticking themed stickers onto paper.

The first workshop centred on greetings and included a role-playing activity where children took turns acting as hosts and guests. The second focused on the Emirati traditional dress, aiming to strengthen national identity and pride in cultural attire. Children discussed differences in clothing styles with the grandmothers. The third workshop explored hospitality and honoring guests, using a skit to teach the correct way to serve Arabic coffee. The fourth workshop focused on love for the homeland and national symbols, aiming to foster patriotism and a deep sense of belonging, including teaching the children the UAE national anthem.