Legendary Tales Breathe New Life into Traditional Art At Al Noor Island International Storytelling Festival

The International Storytelling Festival ‘Tales on the Island’ to be held on Al Noor Island, Sharjah, which began at the weekend, has been praised for its innovative outlook and inspirational approach to one of the most important cultural arts in the Arab world. The festival, which runs from January 12-28, is open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, although school parties will be able to attend during weekdays as well.

From myths, legends and traditional fiction told by world class storytellers from the Middle East, UK, Europe and Southeast Asia, audiences of all ages have relished both the performances and perfect atmosphere that Al Noor Island has provided. While the festival invites all people from all backgrounds and ages to come and enjoy the event, students in particular are being encouraged to attend.

Schoolchildren in Sharjah and from across the UAE will be able to listen to their favourite stories and have been provided with dedicated sessions during the week. What was originally planned as a weekend affair has now been extended to all days of the week, which from 9am to 3pm will be dedicated entirely to school visits throughout the festival to integrate fun, entertainment, creativity and heritage.

“We would really like as many young people as possible to attend. We have extremely  talented and passionate international storytellers who bring these tales to life and expand the imagination to explore new boundaries. There is an art to storytelling and we have some incredible artists with us during this festival. We are open to everyone and welcome all literature and story lovers wherever they may come from.” said Marwa Obaid Al Shamsi, Al Noor Island Manager.

In addition, personalised storytelling to suit different age groups and languages of the visiting schools will be arranged for children upon request. Schools need to contact festival organisers prior to their visit to arrange a customised session.

Both artistic directors of the festival have reflected on the premium choice of Al Noor Island, and the ideal theme it provided for imaginative stories like Peter Pan's Neverland. They both highlighted on the importance of being in an environment surrounded by beauty and relaxation, as catalyst tools to enjoy an experiential story telling process. Visitors shared engaging feedback and interactivity with the festival, highlighting all the series of advantages of taking part in such a literacy experience.

The festival’s original weekend schedule remains the same, and will be held over three weekends from Thursday to Saturday 12th to 28th January, and start at 4pm every day. Through walks, live music, singing and live visual art, renowned storytellers will offer dreamscapes and myths celebrating stories and cultural diversity in Arabic and English languages.

All tellers in the line up are internationally acclaimed professional Storytellers and the programme is extremely rich, with performances both for children, adult and families.

The 45,470 square metre Al Noor Island in Sharjah’s Khalid Lagoon, is a one-of-a-kind architectural project, which allows people to engage with nature and avant-garde design in spacious enclaves and avenues. Launched by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), the island encapsulates Shurooq’s commitment to reinforcing Sharjah's status as a leading cultural, tourist and investment destination in the region.

Through Al Noor Island and other high-value projects creating world-class destinations, Shurooq aims to stimulate Sharjah’s fast growing leisure and tourism, and contribute to the emirate’s tourism vision with a plan to attract 10 million visitors by 2021.