(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) A month-long training course this Ramadan has been teaching inmates of Sharjah prisons how to master Arabic calligraphy, thanks to the Sharjah Calligraphy Museum (SCM).
The course, which is held in partnership between the Sharjah Punitive and Correctional Facilities and the Sharjah Museums Authority (SMA), aims to teach inmates the principles of two of the most prominent Arabic writing styles - Al Roka and Al Diwani.
The programme, which runs till May 26, targets as many as 30 inmates serving different jail terms at Sharjah's central prison. Throughout the course, participants will learn how to write letters, words and sentences using these styles, and towards the end of the program, they will be able to make artistic displays using Arabic fonts.
Workshops are presented by Adnan Al Sharifi, a professional calligraphist at the SCM.
Manal Ataya, director-general of the SMA, said the course, while helping inmates learn a new and unique skill, can also bring them a sense of pride and encourage them to start a productive life once they are released.
She added that the calligraphy workshop is part of the authority's social responsibility programme and comes under a memorandum of understanding signed with the Sharjah Police in December last year.
The agreement, part of the SMA's ongoing 'Because We Care' initiative, offers a series of carefully designed workshops and lectures, aiming to help rehabilitate inmates by boosting their education and knowledge.
It also donates books and publications related to Sharjah's heritage to the prison's libraries and provides inmates' families with an opportunity to join museum tours and other SMA activities.
The agreement is among several others between the Sharjah Police and various entities to conduct programmes and initiatives that would help inmates and their families.
Afkar Abdullah
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