Sharjah24: The Director General of Sharjah Museums Authority (SMA) Manal Ataya, was a panel speaker at the Al Burda Festival 2021, which serves as a global platform dedicated to engaging creative leaders, cultural personalities and artists from around the globe.

During ‘The Transformation of Islamic Spaces’ panel discussion held as part of the Ideas Lounge-City Life, on December 20, and moderated by Hani Asfour, Associate Dean at Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation, Ataya addressed the unique nature of Sharjah Emirate in regards to embracing Islamic motifs and styles in numerous buildings.

She explained how the emirate’s buildings were not solely Islamic spaces by function but also reflect the approach of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to create places that make an identifiable distinction to the city’s image and urban fabric by incorporating traditional Islamic design not only in mosques and Islamic schools but also in Non-Islamic spaces such as government buildings and university campuses among others. 

Ataya referred to the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization as an important example of adaptive reuse from the initial purpose of being a souk built in 1987 to its conversion into a museum in 2008 that is now one of the most popular and beloved museums in Sharjah and the country, by community and visitors from abroad. 

Answering audience queries, Ataya explained the importance of relevance by being aware of one’s surrounding when building new projects to ensure spaces become part of communities.

“Therefore when making new projects, involving stakeholders - specifically actual residents and users of these spaces - rigorous consultation is crucial in order to make accessibility and its sociability, priorities for successful intervention of old and new spaces within the fabric of our cities,” she said. 

Thanking the organisers, SMA’s Director General emphasised the importance of such events to further promote creativity and experimentation in Islamic art practices and encourage fostering critical discourse between experts, institutions and communities on the past, present and future of Islamic culture.

Other panelists in the session included representatives from Aga Khan Trust for Culture in India, the Art and Culture Development Foundation from the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Chuk Palu from the UAE. 

As an exhibition partner, SMA is also conducting a workshop on December 21 that is designed specifically to engage youngsters in hands-on training on Islamic geometry. 

Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Youth, the festival, themed “The Spaces Between”, taking place from 19 to 21 December at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in the heart of Expo 2020, coincides with the UAE’s Golden Jubilee to mark the country’s 50th anniversary.

The three-day event features in-person and virtual talks, where participants engage in cutting-edge dialogues to share insightful experiences and ideas about reshaping the future of Islamic art and culture.

Performances, exhibitions, film screenings and workshops celebrating Islamic creativity are also part of the global event which hosts the 16th edition of the Al Burda Award that recognises creativity, innovation and excellence in the practice of traditional Islamic disciplines.