Dubai Culture Inspires Creativity and Lifelong Learning with ‘School of Life’ Programme

(MENAFN- Cicero & Bernay A Communication Consultancy) Dubai, UAE - 6 December, 2024: Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is set to offer innovative workshops and educational activities at Dubai Public Library branches through its School of Life programme. This December, the programme will adopt the theme ‘UAE Identity and Heritage,’ featuring creative and developmental clubs such as Wellness and Nutrition, Cinema and Photography, Chess, Art, Book, Family Developing, Career, Language, and Calligraphy clubs. All 33 workshops aim to enrich community knowledge, develop life and creative skills, and refine expertise in various fields, including constructive discussions on literature and languages, exploring advanced visual art techniques, learning calligraphy and ornamentation arts, and reviving the UAE’s rich cultural heritage. Together, these efforts provide a platform for creativity and exchanging ideas and experiences.
Al Safa Art & Design Library will host the Wellness and Nutrition Club activities with a Ladies’ Pilates session by Pilates Academy for mental and physical balance, while Nada Saeed Kattan will offer the Healthy Holidays Sweets to introduce innovative ways to prepare delicious and healthy treats that suit the whole family. The library is also hosting Art Club activities with Magdi Kafraoui, offering two sessions, the first titled ‘Abstract Art in One Colour,’ teaching abstract painting using only one colour, focusing on artistic techniques that express emotion and depth through layers, gradients, and texture, and the second titled ‘Abstract Art with Primary Colours’ that explores the creation of abstract paintings using primary colours, focusing on abstracting shapes and exploring different methods to achieve a distinctive visual balance.
Benedicte Gimonnet will lead the ‘Modern Art with Collage’ activity that teaches participants how to make basic sketches and choose compositions, colours, and types of papers to craft a unique work of art. Medaf Creative Studio will offer two workshops, the first ‘Emirati Mahafa Decoration’ for those aged five to twelve years old, where they will explore cultural expression through art, learning to respect and incorporate traditional designs while adding their unique twist, and the second ‘Painting with Yarns,’ where they can use yarn to create patterns, textures, and forms, understanding how to translate their ideas into a medium that is both visual and tactile. Al Safa Library is the venue for the Ruq’ah Calligraphy session with Mohammad Al Tamimi, taking adults on a journey to appreciate the technical basics of forming letters correctly, and how to connect them in artistic and aesthetic contexts, in addition to discovering the cultural and aesthetic values that distinguish Arabic calligraphy.
Al Mankhool Public Library is offering Chess Club activities, where the Chess Academy is presenting two sessions for participants aged 6+, the first titled ‘Insights from a Grandmaster’ where they will gain valuable insights and tips from a renowned chess Grandmaster to refine their skills and understanding of the game, and the second titled ‘Chess Grand Tournament’ to showcase their acquired skills in a friendly chess tournament where participants compete for recognition and prizes. The Career Club at Al Mankhool Library will welcome LinkedIn, giving a workshop titled ‘Mastering LinkedIn: Elevate your Personal Brand and Knowledge Growth’ for adults to learn how to build a profile that reflects your skills and potential, with unique strategies to attract opportunities and connect with leaders in their fields, while Mohammed ElMaakki will front ‘Power Pi’ that uncovers cutting-edge techniques to create intricate formulas that enhance reports and master data transformation with Power Query and Power Pivot. Gino Banola will teach the ‘Baybayin Calligraphy Rediscovered’ sessions, discussing the rich history and cultural significance of Baybayin, the ancient Filipino script. Through hands-on exercises, participants will learn the basic writing rules and start crafting their first Baybayin characters, bringing this beautiful script to life. Participants will also explore the evolution of the text from its traditional roots to its modern-day applications by creating a personalised piece that integrates the ancient script into contemporary designs.
In Hatta Public Library, Boubaker Boukhair will be the face of the ‘Jewellery Making Using Pearls’ session, teaching participants aged 15+ about the history of pearls and their prominent role in Emirati culture and how to design jewellery pieces in a traditionally inspired style that combines the beauty of heritage with the authenticity of modern art. As part of the Book Club activities in Al Twar Public Library, Bound to Read has two sessions. The first is ‘Multicultural Stories’ for ages five to eight, which promotes an understanding of diversity and develops an appreciation for other cultures, contributing to building a generation of creative and tolerant thinkers. The second ‘Book Discussion: Born to Run’ is for ages nine to twelve, taking youngsters on an emotional ride between joy and pain, as they discover how the bonds between humans and other creatures can be filled with love and sacrifice, and at the same time, carry within them moments of sadness and loss.
Al Twar Public Library will be where the Language Club activities take place featuring two workshops by Al Lahjah Institute. The first, ‘Present Continuous in the Emirati Dialect,’ focuses on mastering the use of the present continuous tense in the local dialect, helping participants form everyday sentences smoothly and accurately. The second, ‘Muthanna in the Emirati Dialect,’ explores the distinctions between singular, dual, and plural forms in Emirati Arabic, guiding participants in constructing words and sentences that describe two items or individuals.
The library shall host two sessions as part of the Calligraphy Club. Abdulrazzak Almahmoud will lead a session on the Diwani Jali script, offering adults insight into its fascinating history and demonstrating the traditional tools, reeds, and inks used to create this unique style. Participants will also observe live demonstrations of the techniques behind this script. In another session, Mousab Doori will conduct the ‘Ornamentation and Gilding’ workshop, exploring the rich history of ornamentation and its evolution across cultures and eras. The workshop includes a practical seminar where participants can design their own artwork using traditional ornamental motifs.

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