The House of Wisdom (HoW), Sharjah’s futuristic library, is taking young visitors on a
fascinating adventure through Sinbad’s Seven Voyages with storytelling sessions, interactive
simulations, and a rare book exhibition at the current Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival
(SCRF 2023), held from May 3 – 14 at Expo Centre Sharjah.
Sinbad is one of the most famous and inspiring heroes from the “Arabian Night” stories, and the
timeless appeal of his tales of valour and victory have transcended global borders and
resonated with lovers of storytelling through the generations. The fictional Sinbad voyages first
emerged during the Abbasid Caliphate’s reign in Baghdad, where the original House of Wisdom
was set up as a shining beacon of knowledge and culture. Thus, the selection of this theme
serves to connect the young generation to our past heritage.
The character of Sinbad symbolised courage, persistence and the love of traveling in search of
riches and adventures. His voyages, which were translated into various languages including
English, German and Japanese, had inspired writers, illustrators and various artistic works in
the Arab world and globally.
Marwa Al Aqroubi, Director of HoW, said: “Through our participation in SCRF, we aim to
highlight the importance of diversity and cultural exchange, enrich children’s imaginations,
expand their knowledge, and strengthen their connection to our authentic literary heritage
through reading. By shining light on a collection of rare books, we provide a unique interactive
experience for visitors through Sinbad and his amazing voyages, which continue to inspire
many works across the creative and artistic mediums of movies, magazines, video games, and
TV shows to this day.”
Rare titles on display and interactive activities on Sinbad voyages
The HoW booth features a mini exhibition space – a unique curation of rare books published in
English, German and Arabic in 19th and 20th centuries about Sinbad and his seven
voyages. The titles on display include ‘The History of Sinbad the Sailor: Containing an Account
of His Several Surprising Voyages and Miraculous Escapes’ by Nathaniel Dearborn (1828);
‘Sinbad der Seefahrer. Die Geschichte der Prinzessin von Deryabar’ by Edmund Dulac (1920);
‘Sinbad the Sailor; and, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’ co-authored by Joseph Benwell Clark
and William Strang (1896); and several issues of an Egyptian Children’s magazine ‘Sinbad:
Nationwide Children’s Magazine’ published between 1952-1960 by Cairo-based Dar Al Ma’aref.
There are two more independent sections featured at the HoW’s SCRF booth. The second
section provides a digital simulation space, where children can experience Sinbad’s seven sea
voyages like never before by taking the helm of the ship and navigating through the interactive
screen while listening to exciting audio commentary in both Arabic and English. Towards the
end of each expedition, children will learn valuable lessons about self-reliance, courage in the
face of challenges, and helping others.
The third section features a storytelling corner, where children are hosted for interesting reading
sessions on a daily basis to explore the exciting adventures of Sinbad in an interactive manner.
Special emphasis is placed on instilling the love of reading in children and promoting the shared
cultural heritage that is built through storytelling. A retail store is also available, where books
and other collectibles can be purchased by visitors.
Through the HoW booth, we offer visitors a unique opportunity to promote cultural diversity and
common human values, thus enriching our understanding of the world. We also seek to
highlight the importance of storytelling as a fundamental human activity that not only serves to
connect us with our past, present, and future, but also with each other.