Dubai Culture & Arts Authority celebrates mid Sha’aban

The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage, marked celebrations for mid Sha’aban (Hag Alilah) through an array of cultural and traditional activities. 

Denoting the arrival of the Holy Month of Ramadan, Hag Alilah falls on the 15th day of the month of Sha’aban, the eighth month in the Islamic Lunar calendar and is celebrated with gaiety in the UAE as in the rest of the Arab world. 

In the GCC, women make preparations for Ramadan while children visit homes singing songs and are presented with sweets. 

To mark the celebrations surrounding Hag Alilah, the Authority created small tote bags to replicate the UAE national attire of the male kandoora and female jalabeya and filled it with the traditional sweets, raw peanuts and salted chick peas. 

These tote bags were distributed by children to different government entities in Dubai including the Dubai Public Library, Dubai Municipality, Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Dubai Airport, and DIFC, among others, to signify strengthened collaborations. The bags also contained leaflets to educate visitors on the occasion, its practices, and its importance in the cultural heritage of the UAE.