A captivating combination of cultural, artistic, and community activities rich in knowledge and experiences, aimed at inspiring children while enriching their abilities and skills, was presented at the “Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival” 2025. The events, held recently, included drawing sessions, discussions, various workshops, theatrical performances, and musical concerts among other activities.
Concert by “Soul of the East” Choir
In an enchanting evening that celebrated both tradition and creativity, the “Soul of the East” choir delighted festival attendees with a performance on the main stage. The concert featured beloved theme songs from popular animated children’s series, invoking nostalgia as both young and older audience members swayed to the music, recalling cherished moments from their childhood.
The evening, titled “The Golden Generation,” showcased the choir’s rendition of famous songs from “Spacetoon” channel, marking its 25-year anniversary. This collaborative performance, part of the festival, sparked memories of a delightful past, encouraging the audience to sing along and request their favorite well-known songs.
The ensemble, comprising thirty talented young performers who have gained significant recognition in Egypt and the Arab world through their concerts and social media presence, offered a harmonious blend of classic and contemporary songs.
Among the songs performed that resonated with the audience were “Conan,” “Remy,” “The Thunder of Ra,” “Once Upon a Time a Gentle Elephant Visited Us,” and “My Mother is an Unforgettable Memory,” captivating children and families with joyous applause. This event not only introduced children to the beauty of music and the art of choral singing but also fostered their connection to cultural heritage in a fun and educational manner, inspiring an appreciation for the arts and music through nostalgic childhood tunes.
The House of Wisdom is participating in the 16th edition of the “Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival 2025,” hosted at the Sharjah Expo Center from April 23 to May 4. The House of Wisdom’s pavilion highlights one of the timeless masterpieces of heritage, the tales of “Kalila and Dimna,” which originate from ancient Indian literature before being translated into Middle Persian and subsequently into Arabic by Abdullah Ibn Al-Muqaffa, a prominent figure in Arab literature during the Abbasid era, thereby solidifying this work’s status in Arabic heritage.
The House of Wisdom aims to present the stories of “Kalila and Dimna” to children in a modern and interactive way that combines learning with play, enhancing their critical thinking skills and encouraging them to discover moral and humanitarian values through an enriching experience. These tales have played a significant role in guiding youth and instilling human values through a beautifully symbolic style.
Since Ibn Al-Muqaffa translated it in the 8th century, “Kalila and Dimna” has served as a literary and intellectual reference used in education and upbringing. It has influenced numerous Arabic and global literary works and remains a symbol of wisdom and expressive beauty in our cultural legacy.
Commenting on the festival participation, Marwa Al-Aqroubi, Executive Director of the House of Wisdom, stated: “The symbolic literature showcased in Kalila and Dimna represents one of the finest forms of global literature, conveying timeless wisdom ingrained in children’s hearts through animal characters, presented in a blend of simplicity and depth. Ibn Al-Muqaffa masterfully translated these tales into Arabic with a fresh spirit and content that reflects human and ethical values, adding a literary and educational dimension that touches both the heart and mind.”
The House of Wisdom pavilion includes several key stations, the first of which is dedicated to manuscripts, showcasing two rare digital copies of “Kalila and Dimna” from the collections of the French National Library. The first manuscript, titled “Kalila and Dimna: The Rabbit and the Elephant,” is a unique illustrated edition from 1222 AD, featuring 89 original miniatures and comprising eighteen chapters, each narrating stories in the voices of animals, interspersed with subplots and proverbs, blending wisdom with humor.
The second manuscript dates back to the 14th century, during the Mamluk era, likely written in Egypt or Syria. This rare version contains an internal index and six of the tales attributed to the sage “Bidpa.”
In an exciting and interactive experience filled with joy, participating children at the festival learned how to prepare dough and bake it into burger-shaped balls, followed by adorning them to resemble cats during a creative workshop titled “Animal-Shaped Bread,” hosted in the culinary corner.
Using traditional dough ingredients like flour, water, sugar, salt, and yeast, the young participants learned the dough preparation process by mixing the ingredients and kneading them until they reached the desired consistency, before rounding them and letting them rise in a covered bowl during the fermentation process until ready for baking.
The children showcased their creativity by decorating the small dough balls into cat shapes with colored sugar dough. They fashioned two triangular pieces for ears, two circular pieces for eyes, plus small pieces for the nose and mouth, and created thin strands of sugar dough for cat whiskers.