-Celebrations include seminars, family workshops and museum tours

-Theme for the year is 'Museums for Social Harmony'

Sharjah, May 16, 2010: Sharjah Museums Department (SMD) is organizing a host of cultural and social activities to promote the museums in the Emirate and spread awareness of their vital role in social development, as part its celebration of International Museum Day. Visits to Sharjah museums will be free for all from May 18 to 22, 2010, as part of the celebrations.

The International Museum Day is celebrated annually on May 18, and this year, the theme is 'Museums for Social Harmony.' Sharjah Museums Department is organising workshops, seminars and museum tours as part of the activities.

Sharjah Art Museum will host a symposium on social harmony with the participation of private and public institutions on May 18. The museum in co-operation with Goethe-Institut (GI) and Robert Bosch Stiftung will also host an exhibition titled "Ambassadors" on May 20. A panel discussion titled "Curators perspectives on social harmony" will be held alongside the exhibition.

SMD's Interpretation and Education Department will organize "Education Day for All" on May 19 at Sharjah Art Museums. In addition to several special programmes, materials and information on SMD's 17 museums will be distributed. Three workshops - "Art in the early ages", "Make your own rosary" and "Green sea Turtles" - will also be held.

Sharjah Science Museum will organize a number of workshops and lectures on social harmony in co-operation with other governmental and private associations on May 21, while Sharjah Art Museum will organize workshops on "Environmental Art" on July 1, "The blessed Palm Tree" on July 8, "The Holy Qu'ran and Calligraphy" on July 15 and "Collage" on July 22.

Manal Ataya, Director General, Sharjah Museums Department, said: "Sharjah has profound interest and strong legacy in promoting heritage, arts, culture and tourism. SMD is committed to strengthen awareness on museums and their contribution to social harmony, which will be highlighted with the International Museum Day celebrations. Through these activities, we want to focus attention on the museums and their role is social development and showcasing the different facets of arts and creativity."

The Sharjah Museums Department, established in 2006 by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, aims to promote the emirate's rich legacy of arts, heritage and culture. For more information on the Sharjah Museums Department, please visit www.sharjahmuseums.ae.

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About Sharjah Museums Department
The Sharjah Museums Department was established in 2006 by His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, as an independent government department that aims to deliver the highest quality of museums for the people of Sharjah and all its visitors, through its facilities, exhibitions, and programmes of learning, research and community outreach.

Sharjah Museums have over 17 sites in Sharjah that cover the arts, Islamic culture, archeology, science, aquariums, heritage and natural history of Sharjah and the region

For further information, please contact:
Nedal Alasaad/Nafisa Marzouki
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: (971 4) 3344550
Email: n.alasaad@asdaa.com , n.marzouki@asdaa.com

© Press Release 2010