Tourism & Hospitality | Thursday 15 June, 2017 3:48 pm |

A host of Arab media and their families were treated to a special Iftar banquet held by Heart of Sharjah, the largest heritage project in the region, and taken on a journey that linked the emirate’s historic past with its cosmopolitan progress via some of its most important sites.

 

Heart of Sharjah representatives helped their guests explore unique historical features and highlighted the media’s role in spreading Sharjah’s crucial part in developing regional societies and civilisations. Themed ‘Sharjah’s Authenticity Flavour’, the Iftar event showcased some of the region’s most beautiful venues, emphasizing the UAE’s hospitality in the holy month of Ramadan.

 

The management stressed the attraction’s diverse features to the media and explained the renovation work that the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) is undertaking, while preserving the site’s authenticity, making it a prime tourism destination.

 

The guests explored Heart of Sharjah, where they viewed several souqs, including Souq Al Shanasiyah, one of the oldest souqs in the emirate and one which has been rebuilt by Shurooq without losing any of its original charm, such as its external construction and architecture. The media and their families also visited shops including Dukan Namlet, Bait Al Kandora, Kharaz (Beads), Qahwa Qahwa (Coffee, Coffee), Jasmaria Perfumes and Al Amiri, in a tour that combined Sharjah’s rich past with its dynamic progress today and its inevitable energy of tomorrow.

 

In a tale of ‘ancient and modern’ the tour included visits to clothing and fabric shops, heritage cafes, and restaurants where guests tasted the best dishes offered at the souq, along with being introduced to the ‘I Love Sharjah’ brand.

 

The guests were also introduced to many Emirati crafts, where they were treated to authentic experiences from generations before, opening a window into ancient Emirati society.

The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) aims to restore and revamp the city's historic areas with vibrant contemporary and artistic touches which blend the authenticity of the past and the momentum of the present.