Sharjah Narrative Forum in Cairo Next September

Sharjah Narrative Forum in Cairo Next September
Al Owais: Under the directives of the Ruler of Sharjah, the Forum expands its Arab reach
Al-Ezzazi: We value the cultural cooperation with Sharjah

Professor Dr. Ashraf Al-Ezzazi, Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Culture, welcomed the cooperation with the Department of Culture in Sharjah to hold the 21st edition of the Sharjah Narrative Forum in Cairo this coming September.

This came during a meeting at the council’s headquarters in Cairo, bringing together His Excellency Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Department of Culture in Sharjah, and Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of Cultural Affairs at the Department, with the Secretary-General of the Supreme Council. The visit is part of the Department’s preparations to organize a new edition of the Sharjah Cultural Honoring Forum, celebrating a distinguished group of Egyptian creatives.

During the meeting, Al Owais officially presented the invitation to Dr. Ashraf Al-Ezzazi to host the 21st edition of the Narrative Forum in Cairo, which was received with great enthusiasm. Al-Ezzazi affirmed that Egypt is always open to cultural collaborations with Sharjah.

Al Owais stressed that the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, continue to enhance the Arab-wide presence of the forum, highlighting Sharjah’s consistent efforts to open new horizons for cultural cooperation.

He added that holding the forum outside the UAE confirms His Highness’s vision to promote shared Arab cultural presence, expand engagement with narrative-related topics across different environments, and continue supporting the Arab narrative movement. He noted that the forum has previously been held in several Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Sudan, Morocco, and Mauritania.

Al Owais recalled that the first edition of the forum held outside the UAE took place in Luxor, southern Egypt, in 2019. He emphasized that Egypt has always been a cultural and creative hub for the Arab cultural project.

He also underlined that the forum provides a platform for critical and intellectual dialogue, gathering a constellation of writers, researchers, and critics to exchange perspectives and discuss key issues in the Arab narrative field. The upcoming edition will shed light on a prominent theme related to the novel.

Dr. Al-Ezzazi praised Sharjah’s pioneering cultural role and its continued commitment—guided by the vision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah—to organizing events that contribute to the advancement of Arab cultural awareness.

He added that Egypt’s hosting of this cultural event reflects the depth of cultural relations and strengthens the exchange of knowledge among Arab creatives.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Al Owais presented Dr. Ashraf Al-Ezzazi with the April issue of Al-Shariqa Al-Thaqafiya, issued by the Department of Culture, noting that its cover features a main article about the ongoing Sharjah Cultural Honoring Forum in Egypt. Al Owais also gave a detailed explanation of the cultural topics featured in the new issue.