Culture & Education | Monday 28 March, 2016 3:12 pm |

The hopes, dreams and aspirations of a cross section of Arab youth were highlighted at a unique pre-event activity for the Sharjah Arab Children Forum (SACF) 2016, which started yesterday (Monday) evening. Titled the ‘Ambition Wall,’ the activity at the Children Centre in Al Riqqa, Sharjah, saw attendees write down their ambitions for the future, thereby providing a revealing insight into the goals and career aims of the next generation.

The Ambition Wall’s format invited children who had arrived for SACF 2016 to create drawings and text to describe how they viewed their path to adulthood. Many of the young delegates who represent the 11 Arab nations taking part in the forum were quick to use the special installation to give free reign to their imagination, proving that the sky is the limit for Arab youth’s goals. The Ambition Wall formed part of the preliminary activities of SACF 2016, with additional workshops also held on the eve of the event to allow the children to get to know each other.

”The Ambition Wall was an important ice-breaking activity that allowed the children arriving for SACF 2016 the chance to share their dreams and aspirations with their peers from other Arab nations. We felt it was important to set up this inaugural feature as it gave the children the opportunity to paint an artistic picture of their desires and determinations and in the process, provided a sense of recognition and an acknowledgement of their value to society,” said Reem BinKaram, Director of Sharjah Children Centres, organisers of SACF 2016.

The children expressed a variety of ambitions in artistic ways. Many cited their desire to help others by becoming doctors, teachers and social workers. Hamdan Hassan, one of the participants at SACF 2016, drew his ambition of becoming a pilot and representing the pride of his country. Saleh Al Qurashi shared his desire to become a nurse so that he could serve others and help save the lives of the injured in Arab hospitals.

Following on from the Ambition Wall, a series of workshops was held for the participating children, with the interactive seminars exploring what it means to be a leader. The day’s programme formed the forerunner exercises for SACF 2016, the region’s leading youth empowerment event, which commenced proper at 6pm on Monday evening at Al Qasimia University, Sharjah.

“The Ambition Wall and the subsequent workshops provided the children taking part with the opportunity to express their inner desires, their hopes and their ambitions of what they want to become when they grow older. The first step to planning their route towards leadership is to draw a map of their future and today we’ve enabled them to do so through the Ambition Wall and an attendant series of workshops,” added BinKaram.

The 12th edition of SACF started its 7-day programme of activities on Monday at 6pm. Titled: ‘Hear us, we are the Future,’ the event is being held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs. SACF 2016 is hosting children from 11 Arabic countries; Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Palestine, Sudan, Mauritania, Comoros, Jordan and the UAE.