Sharjah Light Festival 2017 begins in 14 locations across emirate

The seventh annual Sharjah Light Festival, SLF, started last night at the University City Hall in Sharjah City.

The 10-day event will conclude on 11th February.

The festival has been organised by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, SCTDA, under the patronage of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

The festival will cover 14 different locations across the emirate, including architectural landmarks, mosques and historic buildings, which will be brought to life with dazzling light displays and musical performances.

The locations selected for the festival include the University City Hall, Cultural Palace, Al Noor Mosque, Al Taqwa Mosque and Al Qasba besides the interactive light shows in the Palm Garden and the parade on the Khalid Lagoon Corniche. Other locations across the emirate are Kalba University, Khor Fakkan University, Dibba Mosque, Al Dhaid Mosque and Masjid Sheikh Rashid Bin Ahmad Al Qasimi in Dibba. In addition, there is an interactive technology show at Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre for Gulf Studies, which has joined the festivities for the first time this year.

In a speech delivered at the opening ceremony, Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Chairman of SCTDA, underlined the prominent international status that the Sharjah Light Festival has come to occupy, placing it on par with the high-profile events organised in Lyon, Sydney and Berlin.

"The Sharjah Light Festival is a culmination of art, culture, science and the renaissance movement initiated by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah," he said, adding that this year’s festival stands out from previous editions for its use of 3D video techniques at all 14 locations.

This year’s festival will focus on certain areas to make it easier for people to move between the venues, Al Midfa explained, while pointing out that Khalid Lagoon in the centre of Sharjah City has been chosen to host the main event while the interactive show will be hosted - for the very first time - by Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre for Gulf Studies.

Over the years, the Sharjah Light Festival has succeeded in attracting thousands of visitors, Al Midfa stated. Last year’s edition drew more than 560,000 visitors from the UAE and abroad while social media channels recorded 2.8 million interactions, according to Google Analytics.

Among those who attended the festival’s opening ceremony were Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Corporation and Chairman of Sharjah Media Centre, and Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq).