Emirati singer Balqees.

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

As the UAE gears up to celebrate the golden jubilee of the nation’s founding, the Sharjah National Day Celebrations Committee has announced a gala event to take the celebrations to greater, musical heights – a joint concert by Emirati singing superstars Balqees and Fayez Al Saeed, at Khorfakkan Amphitheatre on December 1.

The proceeds from the concert will be donated to The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), a UAE-based global humanitarian organisation, dedicated to supporting refugees and people in need worldwide.

The concert is part of an 11-day cultural extravaganza being organised to mark the country’s remarkable 50-year journey, which is replete with memorable achievements.

The cultural programmes will be staged across various regions of the Emirate from November 23 to December 2. Khalid Jassim Al Midfa, Head of the Sharjah National Day Celebrations Committee, said: “We are delighted to bring together citizens and residents at this grand concert to celebrate the accomplishments of this great nation and motivate us on our journey towards a prosperous future.”

 UAE singer Fayez Al Saeed.

He added: “The concert’s proceeds will be donated to The Big Heart Foundation to support the humanitarian organisation in its laudable efforts around the world to extend a helping hand to every deprived child and family experiencing hardships due to conflicts, wars and natural disasters, to ensure that their basic right to a decent life is honoured.

” On her part, Mariam Al Hammadi, Director of TBHF, said: “We congratulate the Emirati community and every resident on the occasion of the UAE’s 50th National Day.

“It represents the great values that have been championed by our Founding Fathers and the nation’s wise leadership since the country’s establishment, the foremost of which is humanitarian service and supporting communities suffering from crises and conflicts.

“We thank the Sharjah National Day Celebrations Committee for this generous donation of the proceeds from the concert at Khorfakkan Amphitheatre’s concert, which will go a long way in supporting people most in need around the world.

” She added: “We are proud of the cooperation and partnership between all UAE institutions and bodies in supporting humanitarian work, which reflects the cohesion of society in helping people and advancing less fortunate communities.

“History has repeatedly proved that partnerships based on noble causes are the strongest and the most impactful.” Balqees (born 1988, UAE) hails from Yemen.

She comes from an artistic family as her father, Ahmed Fathi, was a well-known Yemeni musician. Her mother is Yemeni, and a citizen of the UAE. Balqees began to learn music early on, playing instruments and singing.

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She released her debut album Majnoun in 2013 and her second studio album, Zai Ma Ana, in 2015. She presented the music video World Chants Zayed, as a theme dedicated for 40th National Day celebrations of the UAE. She graduated from Abu Dhabi University.

In 2019, she unveiled her star on the walkway of the Dubai Stars at Downtown Dubai. In 2021, she unveiled her wax figure at Madame Tussauds in Dubai. “My father was always telling me that you should be genuine, you should have self-respect, and to always be on time!” she has said. “So that you don’t waste your time because it’s precious, and others’ (time is) too.

” She says some of her biggest challenges are “the ability to keep the balance between your personal life and as a public figure. What to communicate to the audience, what not to communicate, how to be a good role model, how to convey messages in the best possible means …” She says this is a challenge with social media.Al Saeed is an Emirati singer and composer, born in Khorfakkan in 1974.

The local singer is well-known for producing, composing, and performing, and has collaborated with some of the most celebrated talents in the Arab world. He has composed songs for a number of Arab singers, including Assala, Yara and Abdallah Al Rowaished, among others.

He was a member of the jury in the programme Star of the Gulf, aired on Dubai channel. As an actor, he has participated in the series Owner of My Heart (2013), with Iraqi singer Shatha Hassoun.

He entered the composing field in 2000. He has teamed up with Majid Al Futtaim in becoming the face of a Ramadan charity campaign Make a Difference — the initiative which supports underprivileged families in the UAE. Al Saeed is often referred to by his fans as the ‘Ambassador of Tunes’.

The Khorfakkan Amphitheatre is a prominent cultural landmark in the Emirate of Sharjah, located in Khorfakkan. It was inaugurated by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, in 2020.

The building of the amphitheatre is located at the foot of the Al Sayed mountain, facing the Khorfakkan city beach. The amphitheatre was built on a total area of 190,000 square feet.

It can accommodate 3,600 individuals, and includes a cooling system. The semicircular structure has a stone facade includes 234 arches and 295 columns and is situated on an elevated hillock.

The lobby is equipped with six main elevators, divided into two entrances with three elevators for each entrance. There is also a waterfall built next to it, which is 45 metres long and 11 metres wide, and is located at a height of 43 metres above sea level.