Sharjah International Narrator Forum 26th Edition Explores Stories of Friendship Across Cultures
The 26th edition of the Sharjah International Narrator Forum has opened with broad participation from storytellers, researchers and heritage specialists from the UAE and around the world, placing “Stories of Friends” at the centre of its intellectual and cultural programme.
Organised by the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, the Forum brings together a distinguished group of academics, researchers and heritage experts to explore the role of friendship in folk narratives and collective memory, highlighting storytelling as a living repository of human experience and a bridge connecting cultures and generations.
The Forum’s programme features a series of scholarly and dialogue sessions examining friendship as a deeply rooted human value reflected in oral traditions and cultural narratives, while highlighting the principles of solidarity, fraternity, coexistence and loyalty embedded in the heritage of different societies.
Friendship: Value and Values
The first dialogue session, titled “Friendship: Value and Values,” was moderated by Aisha Obaid Ghabesh, Director of the Activities and Events Department at the Institute.
The session explored friendship from a range of human and cultural perspectives. Mohammed Yassin examined the relationship between parents and children and the ways in which it can evolve into a friendship based on trust, understanding and meaningful human connection.
Dr Fahad Hussein explored friendships among writers across different periods, highlighting the intellectual and creative bonds that shaped their relationships. Ibrahim Sanad addressed the social, psychological and personal dimensions of friendship and its role in shaping personality and supporting human well-being.
Meanwhile, Dr Mohammed Yousuf reflected on his artistic and personal friendship with Abdullah Al Mannai, tracing their relationship from the beginnings of their artistic careers to the present day and highlighting the companionship, mutual support and enduring bonds forged through genuine friendship.
Arab Heritage: Stories of Loyalty
The second session, “Friendship in Arab Heritage,” examined diverse representations of friendship in Arab storytelling traditions.
Moderated by media professional Mohammed Hamdan, the session featured Dr Ahmed Saleh Al Naqbi, Dr Issa Al Hammadi, Mohammed Al Baloushi and Maryam Al Zarouni.
Dr Ahmed Saleh Al Naqbi presented a paper on loyalty in friendship, while Mohammed Al Baloushi explored the presence of friendship in Qatar’s storytelling heritage. Dr Issa Al Hammadi examined the meanings and values associated with friendship in Arab narratives, while Maryam Al Zarouni presented a real-life story linked to the late poet Fahad Al Askar, highlighting human relationships preserved in literary memory.
Friendship in Emirati Memory
The first day concluded with a session titled “Friendship in Emirati Heritage,” moderated by Dr Khalid Al Shehhi, Director of the Academic Administration at the Institute, with the participation of Dr Rashid Al Mazrouei, Dr Salem Al Teneiji, Khalid Al Hindasi and Mohammed Al Habsi.
The session explored the forms and manifestations of friendship in Emirati collective memory, shedding light on the values of loyalty, solidarity, chivalry and the authenticity of social relationships that have characterised Emirati society.
The Forum’s sessions affirmed that friendship is far more than a recurring theme in folk narratives. It is a deeply rooted human value preserved through oral tradition and transmitted across generations. Through these stories, heritage continues to connect the past with the present, while revealing shared human values and experiences that transcend cultural and geographical boundaries.