United Arab Emirates: Children and Girls Centers

ICAF Digital Art Competition in Sharjah

September 21, 2005

The computer teachers of the centers in Sharjah discussed the digital art competition and its guidelines, and chose children from throughout our centers in the Emirate to participate. The children were very happy and willing to participate and create.

Lina Tayfour, the Head of the Computer Section, divided the competition into two phases.

The first one was from June till August:
- 1/6/2005 - 30/6/2005: courses were held in designing digital art and using software programs (Paint Brush & PhotoShop)
- 2/7/200 - 7/7/2005: workshops were held for designing three dimensional pictures (using Maya program)
- 1/7/2005 - 25/7/2005: children worked individually on their artworks
- 26/7/2005: judges evaluated the work
- 27/7/2005: judges selected the best digital artwork
- 31/7/2005: the committee prepared a place for an exhibition of all the works the children have done and created a form for judging the works. The measures which they considered while judging were: color & construction (25%), use of the program & tools (25%), the child's view (25%), the child's ideas & creativity (25%)
- 1/8/2005: evaluation & judging of all the works at helwan center
- 3/8/2005: results of the first stage were announced and documented till the second stage which will be held in October 2005.

The judges were Lina Tayfour, Inspector and Head of the Computer Section in our Children & Girls Centers, and Basim Al Rayyes, fine artist.

Thirty-seven digital artworks entered the first stage, which was comprised of three rounds. After round one 17 designs remained, after round two 11 designs remained, and after the final round 8 designs remained. These 8 designs are the finalists of the first stage.

Al Raffia center hosts a new art workshop

July 3, 2005

At al Raffia sportive center on the 3rd of July 2005, 32 children from 5 different centers participated in a new art workshop. The participating centers were: Al Raffia center, Al Themed center, Al Meleeha center, Al Madam center & Al Zeid center. Through these workshops the children continued their artworks in a new place and environment as a part of ICAF's art competition.

Judges and supervisors were there to observe them working and to answer their questions.

While the children were painting, 12 young children from 6 to 8 years old were close by, playing basketball and tennis under the supervision of sports teachers.

After enjoying their time, at the end of the day they went back home, waiting for the next step.

Art workshop & swimming training in Sharjah

June 27, 2005

Continuing with our participation in ICAF's Third Arts Olympiad, our children & girls centers in Sharjah organized an art workshop on Tuesday, July 21, 2005 at 5:00pm where 23 children from 9 to 12 years old participated and drew pictures of their favorite sports under the supervision and help of their art teachers.

The centers participating in this event were: Al Reqqa center, Al Khaleedya center, Al Heera center and Megheedar center.

The art workshop took place at "Al Reqqa sportive center" one of our sports centers.

At the same time and place, 20 children from al Reqqa sportive center had their weekly swimming training under the supervision of the sports teachers.

It was a very nice environment where children let their imagination & creativity guide them.

"My Favorite Sport" Art and Sport Competition in Sharjah

June 8, 2005

As a participant in ICAF's Third Arts Olympiad and under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Jawaher Al Qassimi, Wife of the ruler & Head of supreme council for family affairs in Sharjah, the Children & Girls Centers of Sharjah organized a workshop on June 8, 2005 at 5:00pm where children from 9 to 12 years drew pictures for the Arts Olympiad competition on the theme "My Favorite Sport". Twenty children from two centers, the al Heera Center and the Helwan Center, participated in the event, under the supervision of art teachers from our centers in Sharjah. The art inspector, Wafiq al Khatib, was in charge of the art teachers and the competition.

The workshop took place at "Al Hezam al Akhdar" park, a well-known garden in Sharjah.

At the same time and place, our children's sports centers organized a bicycle race in which 45 children from 13 centers participated, under the supervision of the sports teacher. They raced in different stages and in the end Helwan Center came in first place, Meghedar Center finished in second place and Daba al Hessn Center took third place.

The team of jurors, who observed the race times and decided the winners, consisted of 11 sports teachers and supervisors working in the centers. Their names are: Feryal al Ookeli, Hanan Shaaban, Asmaa Qodsi, Fatma Ibrahim, Hanan Attia, Heba Nehad, Sahar al Said, Doaa Samir, Khadeega Mohamed, Nihal Ibrahim and their head in charge, Neemat Abdul Hamid.

The children and sports centers' Manager, Moza Abdul Rahman al Karam, attended the events and presented prizes and medals to the winners.

Photographer: Heba Hanafi Ali, journalist

Arabian Child Colours Festival - 7th Sharjah Competition and Exhibition

December 18, 2004

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Doctor Sultan Bin Mohamed al Qassimi, Ruler of Sharjah, and Her Highness Sheika Jawaher Bint Mohamed Al Qassimi, Chairwoman of the High Supreme Council for Family Affairs, Sharjah hosted an art festival for all the Arab countries, at which children's talents shone. The festival was organized by Children and Girls Centers and was held from December 18-25, 2004. Some of its objectives were: to explore the innovative, artistic works of other children, to enjoy the beauty of art and creativity, and to teach children how to express their feelings. There were workshops, symposiums and seminars, and we announced the Third Arts Olympiad.

These photos are from a workshop in front of Sharjah Art Museum, where children were drawing, painting, and using other materials like colored sand to make shapes.

23rd International Book Fair Exhibition

December 8, 2004

Children and Girls Centers participated in the 23rd International Book Fair Exhibition held in Sharjah from December 8-17, 2004. The fair included cultural, scientific and artistic workshops as well as a book wing where we presented all our books and publications. Children from our centers drew pictures on the subject of their choice at the workshop, and presented experiments, cultural questions, poems and tales. ICAF's Third Arts Olympiad was announced in the exhibition. Visitors and teachers from many different places, such as schools and the educational zone, as well as artists, visited the Children and Girls Centers' wing and workshop.