Kids meet unique mascots at SCRF

Jamil Khan, Staff Reporter

Every single child visiting the 12th edition of the 12th Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) could not miss the joyful march of four mascots of the festival, ready to wave at and allow anyone to take selfies.

The organisers have named these mascots ‘Wamda’ (Flash), ‘Qalam (Pen), ‘Noqta’ (Dot) and Shuaa’ (Beam) who march confidently around the different sites of the festival.

The four delightful festival characters have distinct personalities and can be easily differentiated, one from the other. Dressed in pink, Princess Wamda wears a crown as she sashays towards the young children, waving her wand. Shuaa has a deep blue cape; Qalam is holding a book; while Noqta, carries a cute little bag.

The kids are happy to interact with the mascots.

As kids gleefully rush to interact with the mascots, they walk past blowing kisses and giving virtual high fives, maintaining the stringent COVID-19 protocol for physical distancing with the young audience. Each day, the characters make their appearance at frequent intervals to perform several mobile shows across the exhibition’s halls and hallways and entertain both kids and adults.

According to the officials, these characters were created especially for the prestigious SCRF event. Each mascot has been carefully selected to highlight the importance of reading and literature. Wamda, Shuaa, Qalam, and Noqta also cater for the wide range of preferences children have for various kinds of characters, from larger-than-life princesses and superheroes to regular boys and girls.

Themed ‘For Your Imagination’, children of all ages can participate in several interactive sessions and explore the world of comics through 110 workshops and 22 shows at the 11-day Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) .

Strict COVID-19 preventive measures are in place to ensure the safety of visitors at the region’s largest festival of its kind.

The interactive workshops are led by qualified experts from across a spectrum of art and science disciplines and commence from 16:00 daily. Participant numbers are limited to a maximum of 15 per workshop.

Fun art projects specifically designed to nurture imagination and creativity and enhance children’s confidence are the highlight of the SCRF 2021. The various expression and communication-driven workshops will facilitate children’s journey into the world of art and develop their problem-solving abilities.