Encouraging Development of Creative Talent

The Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan Cultural Center strives to build cultural and social capacities that contribute to the achievement of the sustainable development goals and in this regard, the below activities of the center nurture and promote creative skills: • Shamma bint Mohammed Award for Literature: The award was launched in 2017-18 with the aim of supporting literary talents in the following areas: short stories, poetry, Nabati poetry, children’s literature, and fiction. • Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan Prize for Creative Writing: Launched in 2010, the award seeks to discover and nurture talent among school aged students. Winners receive exposure in the press and can meet experts in the field such as university professors, and they are supported in publishing their work. • Al Waraqayn Program: The program works with school aged children to nurture their creative talent. The program focuses on creative writing and design, among other academic areas. The number of participants in the program has gradually increased each year, reaching to over 500 in 2019. • Generations Camp: A camp for school-aged children, started in 2015 with the aim of nurturing appreciation and understanding for national heritage, traditions and culture. The camp enables discovering and developing talents and skills including those related to local heritage and culture. • Shamma Bint Mohammad Majlis for Thought and Knowledge: The Shamma Bint Mohammad Majlis for Thought and Knowledge was started in 1997 by a group of women as the first literary cultural salon in the UAE. The council hosts cultural evenings and spaces for dialogue with writers, thinkers, filmmakers and professors. It also organizes cultural activities to nurture and deepen understanding and engagement with literature, film and art as well as prominent creators and thinkers in the country. The Majlis presents working papers at various cultural and educational events.