East Coast Cities Celebrate Sharjah Light Festival 2014
HE Mohamed Ali Al Noman, Chairman, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority has said that the Authority is keen to enhance the experience of Sharjah Light Festival, year after year, by expanding its activities and adding new features and sites such as the picturesque East Coast.
This came on Tuesday during Al Noman’s visit to the East Coast and the Sharjah Light Festival locations in the region that include historic mosques such as Masjid Omar Bin Al Khattab in Khorfakkan, Masjid Hamza Bin Abdul Mottaleb in Kalba and Masjid Sheikh Rashid Bin Ahmad Al Qassimi in Dibba Al Hisn.
The SCTDA delegation led by Al Noman watched the fantastic SLF shows and inspected arrangements at the historic mosques that are renowned in the region. Al Noman said that the Authority continues to focus on the East Coast through various events and activities in the region as well as by showcasing its natural, touristic and leisure attractions and opportunities in international exhibitions and trade forums around the world.
Al Noman said that the SCTDA, which is hosting the Sharjah Light Festival for the fourth year in a row, had selected the East Coast as the host of the SLF celebrations because of its unique cultural characteristics and features that are ideal for this kind of event. The SLF shows and presentations celebrating the theme of Sharjah the Capital of Islamic Culture for 2014 highlight the majesty of the region’s mosques through an interface of art and technology and Islamic architecture.
The East Coast tour began with the city of Dibba Al Hisn where the SCTDA team was received by Municipal Council Chairman Ali Ahmad Saif Al Naqbi and Mr Taleb Abdullah Safar, Director and a number of Municipal Council members and senior officials.
Mr Safar applauded the addition of Dibba Al Hisn to SLF celebrations for the first time saying it will add to the city’s profile and highlight its merits in terms of its architecture and culture attracting more visitors from within and outside the country.
He said that the Municipal Council is providing all possible support to make the shows in Dibba Al Hisn a success. Sheikh Rashid Bin Ahmad Al Qassimi mosque is ideally located and has been able to attract a large number of spectators enabling them to enjoy the whole visual experience illuminating the historic mosque.
The SCTDA delegation next visited Khorfakkan to watch the SLF presentation at the Omar Bin Al Khattab mosque. The guests were received by HE Saleh Hamid Al Naqbi, Member of the Land Allocation Committee in the Eastern Region and Engineer Fawzia Al Qadi, Director, Khorfakkan Municipal Council and Abdulrahman Al Naqbi, Director, Department of Planning and Survey, Khorfakkan and a number of officials and members of the municipal council.
Engineer Fawzia Al Qazi praised the successful hosting of SLF festivities by Khorfakkan for the second year in a row turning the spotlight on the celebrated Omar bin Al Khattab mosque in the city. The historic mosque, one of the oldest in the region, is perfectly situated and offers an ideal opportunity for families and visitors to enjoy the spectacular symphony of lights and colour. She emphasised the role of the Municipal Council in supporting activities that promote Khorfakkan and its development. The Sharjah Light Festival in Khorfakkan is an occasion to highlight the beautiful East Coast and endless leisure opportunities that it offers to visitors.
The last stop on the East Coast tour was the city of Kalba where Masjid Hamza Bin Abdul Mottaleb is the centre of attraction this year. This is the second SLF site in Kalba after the University of Sharjah campus where the Festival debuted last year and had been a huge success.
Kalba is again known for its natural beauty and is strategically located on the East Coast and has lately seen much development. The East Coast has been important historically and commercially throughout the ages. The region is known for its spectacular views of nature that includes high mountains, golden beaches and the region’s largest mangrove forests.
Families and visitors to the East Coast can enjoy a wide range of leisure and fun activities and even adventure and water sports. The region is connected to the rest of the country with a modern road network and boasts world-class tourism infrastructure and hotels.
The Sharjah Light Festival will run until February 14 at 12 locations that include Sharjah City Municipality, Kuwait Square, Cultural Palace Square, King Faisal Mosque, Al Taqwa (Al Majaz) Mosque, Al Majaz Waterfront, Central Souk, Al Qasba (Internal façade), Dr. Sultan Al Qassimi Centre of Gulf Studies, Hamza Bin Abdul Mottaleb Mosque in Kalba, and Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Khorfakkan.
The Sharjah Light Festival is free to attend and runs daily from 7.30pm onwards. A full programme of activities and further details are available at the official website www.slf.ae.
Emirate: Sharjah
Date: Feb 12, 2014
Back