SHARJAH: Under the patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the Eastern Region Office at the Department of Culture has organised the second edition of the Wadi Al Helo Days for Folk Poetry. The event will start on Mar.23 at Al Qal’ee celebrations square.

A press conference was held at Wadi Al Helo Library, which was attended by Mohammed Al Suwaiji, Director of Department of Culture at the Eastern Region Office, and Shamsa Al Mazrroui, Official of Cultural Activity. The event will focus on the subject of Al Shalla, which is a sung poem, unlike the traditional poetry, and add performances by dancing groups from the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Jordan. 

Al Suwaiji asserted that the opening ceremony will include a visual presentation on Wadi Al Helo that showcases its historical, cultural, and natural milestones. The programme will also include an operetta on the mountains of Wadi Al Helo. The three-day festival will cover many cultural and musical performances with international bands, theatre performances and poetry evenings.

Al Suwaiji confirmed that the festival aims to revitalise the musical, artistic and cultural movement in Wadi Al Helo to target the family and society in general. He also pointed out that the poetry evenings and national celebrations are organised in the region, under the guidance of Sheikh Sultan and the watchful eye of Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of Department of Culture.

Shamsa Al Mazroui explained that the idea of launching Wadi Al Helo Days for Folk Poetry came from the keenness of the Sharjah Department of Culture to promote the region’s prestigious and well-known culture and heritage in art. She also hoped that the festival would achieve the desired interaction with the audience.

Moreover, Lt. Yousef Al Mazroui proposed to the department to invite cultural figures from all emirates to attend the cultural events organised in the Eastern Region of the emirate of Sharjah.