Flag Island festival to captivate visitors

SHARJAH: The Flag Island, Sharjah’s leisure, tourist and family destination, is to host the International Festival ‘Kalinka’. The 2-day festival on 29 - 30 March 2019, will be showing spectacular cross-cultural performances as Russia and Kazakhstan combine their talents in a dazzling display of music and dance at the Flag Island’s amphitheatre, from 7pm - 11pm.

The Flag Island will be providing families, children and audiences of all age groups, with a full spectrum of Eastern Europe’s most authentic styles and genres. The Festival Committee collaborates with local artists from Russian and Kazakhstan, both children and adults, aiming to encourage cross-cultural exchanges and forge new professional pathways.

The repertoire of participants at the festival include ‘Sozvezdie Sharma’ who have produced more than 200 dance shows and 6 musical performances internationally.

Chorus ‘Kotem’ is another well reputed ensemble in Kazakhstan and other artists include dance and folklore Russian troupes like Vaselinka and Kupavy. Yakutians from city of Yakutsk in the Republic of Sakha, in the far north of the Russian Federation, are also one of the highlights of the festival.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Khuloud Salim Al Junaibi, General Manager of The Flag Island said, “The festival will give a true insight into a vast range of cultural arts from Russia and Kazakhstan. It will also showcase vivid and vibrant performances that’ll emphasise the ultimate goal of The Flag Island, of bringing people of different international communities together”.

She further said. “The atmosphere at the island makes it the perfect venue for such high energy cultural performances. We look forward to welcoming audiences from across the UAE, for what promises to be an enjoyable two-day event”.

Russian word “Kalinka” is a popular world symbolising national culture and through the festival, organisers are striving to uphold and showcase the values of tolerance, friendship and love for arts, in Sharjah.

The Flag Island will also turn off all its light between 8.30 pm and 9.30pm on 30 March, in solidarity with millions across the world who are fighting against climate change, in what has become known as Earth Hour.

The Flag Island aims to present healthy and fun activities throughout the year, turning the place into an exciting touristic destination. The Kalinka festival being held at the destination, gives visitors an opportunity to engage with different ensemble of cultures, that everyone can attend and enjoy, at no extra cost.

Last month, the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SCCI, organised a tour for the heads and members of the diplomatic corps to the UAE and their spouses.

Locations included were Khalid Lake, Al Noor Island, Al Majaz Amphitheatre, Al Muntazah, Central Souq, The Flag Island and Souq Al Jubail.

The tour included a number of cultural landmarks to promote the progress made by the emirate in all economic, tourism and cultural sectors and walks of life.

The tour, organised in coordination with various government entities and authorities in Sharjah, is part of the chamber’s greater effort to enhance cooperation and communication with members of the diplomatic missions in the UAE, to positively influence the economic relations with the friendly countries.

Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, SCCI Chairman, said that the diplomatic tour is a bi-annual initiative of the Chamber to achieve the mutual prosperity with partners, create an ideal environment for communication and recognise the development of Sharjah to become a “smart, sustainable and world-class city”.

Flag Island

The Flag Island is located near the Government Departments Buildings in Al Layyah next to Al Jubail Market. The flagpole at the Flag Island was the 7th tallest in the world at the opening date on 2nd of December 2012.

The lighting of the pole and its surroundings is characterised by a unique design; it features lights all around the circle at a height of 3 metres. Seven mounted lights around the pole are placed in 7 GRC stands, representing the seven emirates of the UAE, and lights distributed along the pathway leading to the flag pole.

The Flag Island is designed to be a new attraction, turning the island into a new touristic destination featuring varied recreational facilities including an open-air amphitheatre that accommodates 1,000 persons.