SHARJAH, 12th April, 2025 (WAM) -- Dr. Ashraf Al-Izzazi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Culture in Egypt, welcomed the collaboration with the Sharjah Department of Culture to hold the 21st edition of the Sharjah Narrative Forum in Cairo next September.

This was discussed during a meeting between Abdallah bin Muhammad Al-Owais, Chairman of the Department of Culture, and Mohamed Ibrahim Al-Qusair, Director of Cultural Affairs at the department, with the Secretary-General, held at the council's headquarters in Cairo.

The meeting was part of the Sharjah delegation's visit to organise a new edition of the Sharjah Cultural Honors Forum to celebrate a selection of Egyptian creatives.
During the meeting, Al-Owais presented Dr. Ashraf Al-Izzazi with the official invitation to organise the 21st Sharjah Narrative Forum in Cairo.

The Secretary-General warmly accepted the invitation, affirming that Egypt's doors are always open to any cultural projects with Sharjah.

Al-Owais emphasised that the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, enhance the forum's Arab presence.

He noted that Sharjah continually seeks to open avenues for ongoing cultural collaboration.

He pointed out that holding the Sharjah Narrative Forum outside the UAE reaffirms the vision of the Ruler of Sharjah to strengthen the shared Arab cultural presence and expand interaction with narrative issues in various contexts. This continues efforts to support the Arab narrative movement, with the forum having travelled to many Arab countries, including Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Sudan, Morocco, and Mauritania.

Al-Owais recalled the first edition of the Sharjah Narrative Forum outside the UAE in 2019, held in Luxor, southern Egypt, emphasising that Egypt has always been a cultural and creative hub for the Arab cultural project.

Al-Owais highlighted that the forum opens spaces for critical and intellectual dialogue, providing a platform for writers, researchers, and critics to exchange views and discuss key issues affecting the Arab narrative field. He mentioned that the upcoming edition will focus on a significant topic related to the novel.

Al-Izzazi praised Sharjah's leading role in the cultural sector and its continuous commitment to organizing events that enhance Arab cultural awareness, based on the vision of the Ruler of Sharjah.

The Secretary-General emphasised that hosting this cultural event in Egypt reflects the depth of cultural relations and enhances the presence of knowledge exchange among Arab creatives.

At the end of the meeting, Al-Owais presented Dr. Ashraf Al-Izzazi with the April issue of the Sharjah Cultural Magazine, published by the Department of Culture. He explained that the magazine's latest cover prominently features the Sharjah Cultural Honors Forum in Egypt and provided a detailed overview of the new issue's various cultural topics.