Little hands, big imagination: Crafting heroes at SIBF 2024

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

While some children followed the superhero template closely, others gave life to unique figures that reflected their personalities
At the ongoing 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF), a special workshop area is sparking the imagination of schoolchildren and inspiring their artistic talents. On the second day of the 12-day festival, primary schoolchildren transformed humble aluminium foil into miniature sculptures of their own design at a packed workshop, ‘Silver Superhero’.
“Even though this is a structured activity, we encourage children to let their imaginations lead the way,” shared Taras Rubay, an instructor from Ukraine, who is passionate about working with young artists.
Grouped in fives, the students eagerly took the ten-by-four-inch foils to begin crafting their masterpieces. The first foil pieces were scrunched and rolled to form heads, followed by more intricate folding and shaping to create limbs and torsos, bringing their figures to life. While some children followed the superhero template closely, others ventured in their own directions, giving life to unique figures that reflected their personalities.
Nine-year-old Abdullah Masood Rehman from Saudi Arabia proudly fashioned a figure with exaggerated muscles, dubbing him “Abdullah.” “This is my superhero and he’s a footballer. He’s very strong and kind. I’m taking him home, and tonight I’ll paint a jersey for him on the foil,” he said, eyes sparkling with pride.
Ali, a nine-year-old from Yemen, carefully followed the instructions to create a warrior figure that stood upright. “My superhero’s name is Ali. He’s a gladiator. Look, he’s got a cape, a shield, and a crown,” he shared, delighted with his creation.
“All children are inherently creative; they just need an encouraging environment,” explained Victoria, the workshop leader who regularly conducts sessions for children of all ages. “Even with instructions, you’ll notice some children follow them closely, while others let their imaginations soar, reflecting their unique personalities.”
SOCIAL MEDIA WORKSHOP: Young social media users and content creators were offered key, actionable tips on writing meaningful and engaging social media captions as part of a workshop at the ongoing 43rd Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF).
Palestinian content creator Jenan Mustafa led the engaging session tailored for school students covering essential strategies to craft captions that capture attention. She spoke all about adding context, and encouraging engagement while sharing valuable tips on how to communicate effectively online, especially in a world where digital presence “matters more than ever”.
“Your caption is your first impression,” said Mustafa. “It should grab attention right away. Add a bit of context and think about your goal: why are you sharing this? Who are you speaking to? Your audience matters just as much as what you’re saying.”
The 35-year-old Sharjah based digital content expert emphasised the importance of keeping captions concise and purposeful, guiding students to think of their captions as “mini-stories.”
She encouraged them to be descriptive and creative with their words. “Instead of just saying ‘nice sunset,’ try ‘watched the sky turn gold,’” she suggested, inspiring the young listeners to add depth to their posts. She also advised students to include a clear call-to-action (CTA) for better engagement, such as “double tap if you agree” or using emojis and hashtags strategically without overdoing them. “Your hashtags, like your emojis, should be very carefully chosen. Two to five is ideal and anything more is not,” she explained to the group of gathered students listening to her with full attention.
The interactive workshop resonated with the young attendees, who eagerly shared their thoughts. Abdullah Jassim, a 17-year-old Emirati said, “I’ve learned that a caption isn’t just a sentence, it’s a chance to connect with people. Now, I’m excited to think about giving my posts a purpose.”
“I used to write whatever came to my mind, but now I understand why it’s important to keep it short and use words that draw people in,” added Jassim’s Sudanese classmate Mohammed Abdulrahman, 16.
For Ibrahim Masri, a 13-year-old Syrian student, the workshop opened new perspectives. “I never thought about this, but it feels good to encourage people to react,” he said.