Storytelling School honours folk tales

October 21, 2025 / 6:23 PM

Sharjah 24: On Tuesday, the International School of Storytelling, together with the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, hosted a debate session titled "The Folk Tale: The Voice of Place and Human Memory." A limited group of specialists in this field participated in the session, which discussed the importance of folk storytelling in sustaining human identity and one's connection to place.

Highlighting the significance of folk heritage

According to Esraa Al Mulla, Director of the International School of Storytelling at the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, the session is part of the Institute's ongoing efforts to highlight the importance of folk heritage and its role in preserving identity and cultural connections.

Folk tales: the memory and voice of cultures

Al Mulla stated on "Sharjah 24" that the session covered various fundamental components of folk stories, such as cultural memory and the voice of places. These traditional grandmother-told stories mix delight and wisdom, creativity and reality. They express a society's ideals, beliefs, and goals in simple yet deep ways.

Specialists' perspectives on cultural identity

According to Al Mulla, the session was attended by a notable group of folk storytelling experts, including Dr Aisha Al Ghais, Hamda Al Baloushi, and Aisha Ghabesh. Participants shared insightful thoughts on the role of folk tales in preserving cultural identity and passing down values and traditions across generations. They viewed folk tales as a mirror of the human soul, a link between the past and the present, and a representation of communal awareness and cultural memory.

Maintaining the skill of folk narrative

The workshop is part of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage's ongoing attempts to revitalise and chronicle the art of folk storytelling. Al Mulla underlined that folk tales will always be a heartfelt voice telling humanity's own story, linking generations with their real cultural roots.