The Sharjah Press Club, an initiative of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, has unveiled the agenda of the eighth edition of Sharjah Ramadan Majlis, to be held from May 13 to 26 at Al Majaz Amphitheatre in Sharjah.

 

The Sharjah Ramadan Majlis sessions are hosted in partnership with the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (Sharjah Radio & TV) and are aimed at tackling a broad spectrum of issues and topics -- from religion, society, health, culture and sports to education and community welfare -- and contribute to constructive dialogue and dissemination of knowledge.

 

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, stressed that the Sharjah Ramadan Majlis initiative is based on the celebrated UAE traditions and values and is aimed at addressing a broad range of issues of interest to both individuals and society and encouraging meaningful dialogue and communication between various segments and members of society.

 

Al Qasimi pointed out that the Sharjah Ramadan Majlis, through its various highly popular sessions, has been able to achieve many of its objectives in addressing a host of key issues and raising awareness about them by specialists and experts and leading members of the community from across the UAE and beyond.

 

He said that the Ramadan Majlis, which embodies the UAE's vision, continues in its eighth edition to implement its vision and presents new topics in line with the community's interests and latest developments in various areas.

 

The first session of the Sharjah Ramadan Majlis titled "People's Diversity, Acquaintance and Convergence", on Monday, May 13, will discuss the popular customs and traditions and the need for mutual respect for different cultures, stressing the importance of dealing with diversity from a sensitive and humane perspective, and the role of individuals in changing the culture of their societies. The session will feature popular media figures Ali Al Salloum and Omar Al Othman.

 

The second session on Wednesday, May 15, will zero in on the growing problem of electronic or online addiction, its effects and the ways of dealing with them.  The session will also discuss the dangers of some electronic or video games and how to minimise the risks they pose to impressionable minds. The session will be hosted by Saeed Al Rumaithi, member of the Federal National Council (FNC), Major Abdulrahman Al Tamimi, director of the Ministry of the Interior's Centre for Child Protection, Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, director at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), Sharjah, Eng Abdel Aziz Al Zarouni, information security engineer at TRA, and Maryam Allay, quality specialist of the Environment Protection & Development Authority (EPDA).

 

The third session on Sunday, May 19, titled ‘Children’s Cinema…Responsibilities and Values’ will focus on the role of films as well as other entertainment content directed at children and the positive and negative impact they have on a child’s personality, values and ideas. The session will discuss ways of promoting Arab children’s films and the pros and cons of dubbed content offered by the likes of Walt Disney and others. 

The session will feature popular British actor Brian Ferguson, veteran Egyptian actor Abdel Rahman Abou Zahra, artistes Hoda Hussein and Emirati filmmaker Nahla Al-Fahd, and will be moderated by Saeed Al-Maamari, popular media personality.

 

The fourth session on Monday, May 20, will explore the UAE experience of religious diversity and peaceful coexistence in affirmation of the human values and ideals championed by the late founding father of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Guided by Sheikh Zayed’s vision, the UAE has been a global model of peaceful coexistence, acceptance of others, moderation and freedom of belief.

 

The session will feature Dr Rashad Salem, vice chancellor of Al Qasimia University, Sharjah and Dr Othman Al-Khamis, eminent Islamic scholar and will be moderated by popular media figure Ibrahim Al-Midfa.

 

The fifth session on Wednesday, May 22, titled ‘Sports and Culture of Dealing with Opponents’ will discuss the issue of sports fanaticism in Arab stadiums, effective solutions to check it and how to consolidate the positive culture of sports promotion.  The session will emphasise the role of sports clubs, associations, and coaches in promoting the concept of respect for opponents and the effectiveness of laws and regulations.

 

The session will be graced by Dr Ashraf al Sabahi, Egypt’s minister of Youth and Sports, Mohamed Juma Bin Hindi, vice chairman of Sharjah Sports and Cultural Club, and Sami Al Jaber, former international coach and player of Saudi Arabia.

 

The Ramadan Majlis will host its final session on Sunday, May 26, with a debate on "Common Medical Concepts... Between Wrong and Right", tackling medical misconceptions and rumours that threaten the health of individuals and the need for raising awareness about the authentic and reliable sources of medical information.

 

Amin Hussein Al Amiri, assistant undersecretary for Public Health Policy and Licences at the Ministry of Health and Community Protection; Ahmed Abdel Malik, social media activist and the author of "Medical Myths", and Dr Muawiya al-Aliwi, the author of "1001 Medical Myth" will headline the session that is moderated by Dr Abdel Salam al-Hammadi, a media figure. –TradeArabia News Service