Media Center

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, attended on Monday morning the opening of the 25th edition of the Sharjah International Narrator Forum. The event is being held from September 22 to 26 under the theme “Tales of Travellers” at the Center for International Organizations for Cultural Heritage, located in the University City of Sharjah.

The opening ceremony began with verses from the Holy Quran, followed by a speech by Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage and Head of the Higher Organizing Committee of the Forum. In his address, he spoke about the forum, now marking its 25th year, describing it as a platform that preserves, promotes, and benefits narrators and their popular knowledge. He pointed out that over the years, the forum has witnessed a qualitative leap and comprehensive development in its vision, structure, and content, becoming a key event on the cultural agenda of the UAE, the Arab world, and globally.

Al-Musallam praised the efforts and support of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, who has elevated the forum through his insightful vision, generous patronage, and wise guidance. He emphasized that the forum celebrates narrators and traditional practitioners and their rich and diverse knowledge, making Sharjah a hub for heritage, a destination for narrators, and a meeting point for experts and researchers from around the world. It stands today as a leading model in safeguarding human treasures and protecting cultural heritage from loss and extinction.

Al-Musallam also addressed the theme of the 25th edition — “Tales of Travellers” — which celebrates the heritage and literature of travelers. He described it as a venerable literary genre and one of the most enjoyable and popular forms of storytelling, given its rich literary and cultural value, as well as the wealth of information it provides about people and places.

He noted that this year's edition includes participation from more than 120 narrators, experts, researchers, and media professionals representing over 37 countries. The Republic of Maldives is the Guest of Honor this year, known for its fascinating stories and strange tales documented by the travelers who visited the islands.

The head of the organizing committee concluded his speech by highlighting the forum's three exhibitions:

“Around the World” by His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al-Murr,

An exhibition of works by artist Mira Al Qasim, and

“Exploring Horizons”, a heritage exhibition honoring the legacy of travel and celebrating the renowned traveler Ibn Battuta.

Additionally, the forum features more than 40 diverse publications and the participation of numerous organizations, cultural centers, universities, institutes, and government institutions.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and the audience viewed a short film documenting the history of the Narrator Forum, from its beginnings to its current 25th edition. The film showed its evolution from a local initiative focusing on Emirati narrators to a global platform through partnerships with international organizations, most notably UNESCO. The film also spotlighted key Emirati narrators known for sharing adventurous, mysterious, and thrilling stories full of wonder and surprise.

His Highness honored His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al-Murr as the forum’s Honorary Personality and Dr. Claudia Maria as the Distinguished Figure of the Forum, in recognition of their contributions to culture and heritage. His Highness also honored several local narrators from the UAE, presenting them with certificates and commemorative shields and posing with them for group photos.

His Highness then toured the accompanying exhibition, viewing diverse displays from various Arab countries and listening to explanations about key artworks and illustrations reflecting the culture and heritage of the participating nations.

He also visited the exhibition of Mohammed Al-Murr titled “Around the World: Journeys and Observations of Mohammed Al-Murr”. The exhibition features notable artworks from various countries, themed around adventure, surprises, and risks, presented with an aura of excitement and amazement. Al-Murr is considered one of the contemporary travelers, having been passionate about travel since childhood. He believes that discovering oneself comes through exploring the world.

This year, the forum features participation from a wide range of Arab and international countries, including:
UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Yemen, Comoros, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan, Morocco, Mauritania, Macedonia, Ireland, Italy, Germany, UK, China, France, Turkey, Spain, Japan, Maldives, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Senegal, Kenya, and Malaysia.

Also participating are academic and cultural institutions from within and outside the UAE, most notably:

University of Sharjah

University of Turin (Italy)

Zhejiang University (China)

The Higher Institute of Folk Arts (Egypt)

Qatar National Library

Local government entities such as the Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Hamriyah Municipality, Sharjah Museums Authority, and Sharjah Libraries are also participating, in addition to other organizations.

The forum’s agenda includes more than 25 specialized workshops on oral storytelling and visual narrative. It will also witness the launch of 40 new publications focusing on the forum’s theme. These include the book “Travel Literature in the Arab World” and the “Eyes of the Journeys” series, which features ten selected texts from Arabic travel literature, in addition to newsletters, companion series, and a special corner for book signings during the event.

The opening ceremony was attended alongside His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah by:

Sheikh Dr. Salem bin Abdulrahman Al Qasimi, Head of the Ruler’s Office

Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Head of the Government Relations Department

Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Head of Statistics and Community Development

Sheikh Salem bin Mohammed bin Salem Al Qasimi, Director of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority
— as well as a number of senior officials, representatives of participating countries, and narrators.