As part of its efforts to enhance cultural and literary awareness, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library will organise a series of diverse and free events, workshops, and seminars in February. These events aim to promote knowledge and exchange ideas and experiences between intellectuals and library patrons from different cultures.
The first of these events is an interactive workshop called “Happy Parents, Happy Kids” by Dr. Asmaa Al-Fardy, an expert in the field of mental health and child upbringing. The workshop will highlight building a positive relationship with children while focusing on the importance of balance between work and family life to achieve a happy and balanced environment at home. The workshop aims to explain the concept of mindful parenting and its impact on children’s well-being.
The second workshop of the “First Book” series of workshops will also be held under the title “Idea and Plot”, under the supervision of the writer Nadia Al-Najjar. Al-Najjar will share her rich experience to inspire and guide participants in formulating their first novels. This series is a comprehensive course that covers all aspects of writing an author’s first book, from generating ideas to building the plot that forms the basis of the novel.
In conjunction with Innovation Month, the library will be offering a dedicated program for children. This includes a workshop entitled “My Little Dreams”, which aims to foster innovation, nurture imagination, and cultivate the art of creative thinking amongst children, after reading the dreamy story “If I had a little dream.”
The library will also organise an interactive workshop called “Exploration Journey: A Children’s Workshop in the Library World” to help children distinguish between correct and incorrect behaviours in the library, explore the library’s contents and its depths, understand how to behave in the library, and learn the correct way to search for books.
In a book discussion in collaboration with the “Read and Enjoy” Book Club, participants will discuss the book “The Miracle Morning” by the author Hal Elrod. The book focuses on transforming the morning routine into a powerful tool for promoting health, happiness, and achieving personal and professional success, in addition to presenting basic advice and exercises that can improve people’s lives.
Furthermore, the library will also host the “Reading and Analysing Theatrical Scripts Workshop”, by the Emirati artist Omar Ghubash, in collaboration with Dubai National Theatre. The workshop will focus on the importance of reading theatrical scripts and their role in the success of theatrical work. Participants will also learn some methods and techniques, such as imagining characters in a theatrical script or assuming the role of a director.
Mid-February, the library will celebrate the legacy of the poet Mohammed bin Hadir during an event entitled “The Poet of Life: Mohammed bin Hadir”. The event will feature a panel discussion with the participation of poets and critics who were influenced by his work and personality, including the Iraqi poet Mouwfaq Al-Ani, and the poet and critic Dr. Shihab Ghanem. The session will be accompanied by poetic readings and music performed by poet Ateeq Al Qubaisi and artist Tariq Al-Menhali.
The library’s program for February also includes a special cinema evening, in cooperation with Cineolio. The event will feature the screening of five short films: Big Day by Ahmed Samir, Dark Cloud by Kevin George, Fragments of a Revolution by Sahand Sarhaddi, In the Big Yard Inside the Teeny-weeny Pocket by Japanese director Yuki Yoko and Sarah by Alaa Abo Farraj.
In celebration of World Radio Day, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library will offer a two-day workshop on starting your podcast adventure to train those interested in creating radio content and podcasts and introduce them to its basics, methods of using it, the techniques used in it, and the art of voiceover.
Additionally, Emirati author Fatima Al Zaabi will be presenting a motivational workshop entitled “Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life”. During this workshop, Al Zaabi will discuss the book “Be Different”, and address the importance of reconsidering ideas, their impact on daily and professional life, and their role in building a successful future.
Under the slogan “The UAE Innovates”, there will be an event entitled Innovation Through an Artist’s Brush “Unleash Creativity: The Artistry of Innovation”, under the supervision of the artist Khalifa Al Shimi. During this event, a group of artists will meet in the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library garden to create unique paintings in an innovative style using eco-friendly and recyclable materials.
The library will also offer an interactive workshop for children called “Young Innovators for Our Homeland”. The workshop will focus on art and handicrafts while instilling the values of love of science in the hearts of children to become innovators and pioneers in the future. They will be presented with five diverse characters whose characteristics and interests vary, and then directed to distinguish the qualities that contribute to making an individual capable of innovation and encouraged to embody the best of these qualities.
Visitors of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library can learn more details and information about the library’s workshops, seminars, and events held throughout the year and register and attend them for free, through the official website mbrl.ae, and by following the library’s social media channels.