Interpretation and Education Department at Sharjah Museums Department organizes "Afternoon Tea" programme on last Thursday of each month

In keeping with its commitment to promoting cultural awareness among all categories of community, the Interpretation and Education Department at Sharjah Museums Department is organizing a series of "Afternoon Tea" programmes, specially designed for the touring exhibition of British artist Owen Jones, which was recently opened by His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. 

As part of its ongoing efforts to foster cooperation with all community groups, the Community and Accessibility Programmes Section at Sharjah Museums Department revealed its "Afternoon Tea" programme to be organized on the sidelines of the Owen Jones exhibition where artists, cultured people and thinkers from various communities can meet to exchange expertise and creative ideas inspired by master artworks and the exhibition's collections ,the programme was attended by Mr. Hisham Al Mazloum, Director of the Arts Directorate at Sharjah Department of Culture and Information, Artist Dr.Najat Makki, Mr. Khalil Abdulwahid, Manager of Visual Arts of the Dubai culture & Arts Authority, Artist Ali Alabdan .

The afternoon tea programme will be held on the last Thursday of March, April and May in three phases, including the Walk, the Inspiration and the Exhibit, at the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization from 3:30-6pm.

The program will begin with a tour of the Owen Jones exhibition where participants will be accompanied by Aisha Deemas, Curator of the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, to view the artworks of the famous 19^th century British artist Owen Jones.

Following the tour, the participants will be involved in a panel discussion to exchange experiences and ideas before they engage in making an art piece inspired by the designs of Owen Jones.

The idea of the afternoon tea programme, the first of its kind in the region in terms of the idea and the target, was derived from the British Artist Owen Jones exhibition. It is a solely designed programme which aims to enhance channels of communication with all community groups and activate their role in museums through a series of integrated programmes. 

On the idea of the programme, Alya Rashid Burhaima, Director of the Interpretation and Education Department at Sharjah Museums Department, said: “We work in an integrated manner in terms of the roles and goals. Sharjah Museum of Islamic civilization is participating in hosting and organizing the Owen Jones exhibition in order to contribute to the rich record of Sharjah's landmark achievements on the cultural arena, highlight the emirate's distinct Arab and Islamic identity and boost its status as a leading cultural hub on the world cultural map, as well as to underscore the longstanding reputation of Sharjah as a capital of Arab and Islamic culture by  organizing specialized exhibitions that showcase the most prestigious artworks and make them accessible to the public and all social groups."

The Interpretation and Education Department is playing its role in activating community participation by organizing this program and other various programs to enhance knowledge and experience in art and Islamic architecture among all social groups, she said.

Burhaima added that the section will carry on with organizing such programmes for various social groups, whereas education specialists are currently working on preparing special programmesa for school and university students, as well as specially designed programmes for people with special needs.