The Sharjah Institute for Heritage will host the 26th edition of the Sharjah International Narrator Forum from September 23 to 26 at its headquarters in University City, according to the event’s general coordinator. Aisha Al-Hosan, director of the Arab Heritage Centre and general coordinator of the forum, announced that the gathering will bring together over 120 storytellers, researchers and heritage experts from 28 countries. The programme will offer more than 60 diverse workshops along with 30 new publications from the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, Al-Hosan told Sharjah 24 on September 9.
Finland will serve as the guest of honour for this year’s forum because it maintains one of the world’s oldest cultural heritage archives and is home to a Finnish epic studied by scholars globally, according to the institute’s chairman. Dr Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage and head of the supreme organising committee, said the selection highlights practices in preserving oral heritage. The theme Tales of Friends will guide academic sessions, cultural cafés and performances throughout the four days, Al Musallam added in remarks to Sharjah 24.
The main tent at the venue will feature pavilions from government institutions, dedicated storytelling spaces, interactive exhibitions and a series of specialised activities, the general coordinator reported. Workshops on artificial intelligence and puppetry will join puppet theatre performances that align with the central theme, according to Al-Hosan. These elements will allow attendees to explore both traditional narratives and contemporary interpretations of friendship tales.
Organisers will honour Mohamed Yassin, known as Baba Yassin from Bahrain, as the forum’s distinguished personality in recognition of his children’s programming that built friendships across the Arab world from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. Al Musallam highlighted Yassin’s contributions during the September 9 briefing. The recognition forms part of the broader effort to celebrate figures who have advanced cultural exchange through storytelling.
Al-Hosan invited the public to engage with the full schedule of programmes at the Sharjah International Narrator Forum. The event will combine heritage preservation with opportunities for cross-cultural dialogue among the international participants. Sharjah 24 reported that the gathering continues the forum’s established role in showcasing oral traditions from around the world.
