Sharjah celebrates car enthusiasts’ memories

The third edition of Sharjah Classic Cars Festival continued its second day with two panel discussions that highlighted the human and social dimensions of the classic car world, in a deliberate transition from personal narratives to collective experiences.

These sessions were part of the festival’s dialogue programme, which runs until the evening of Jan.25 under the theme “When Time Moves On,” reaffirming its presence as a space that brings together memory, passion, and industrial history in a cultural format open to the public.

The Sharjah Classic Cars Festival kicked off its second day of panel discussions with a session titled “A Car’s Story,” featuring Dr Nasser Al Masari and moderated by journalist Yousef Al Hammadi.

Al Masari shared a personal account of his journey with automobiles, beginning with his acquisition of his first classic car in 1984 while studying in the United States.

At that time, specialised magazines and books were the primary sources for exploring this world.

His journey later expanded to include the acquisition of rare cars, among them a 1929 Cadillac, considered one of the rarest models in the world.

The discussion touched on the philosophy of collecting from a broader perspective.

Al Masari emphasised that classic cars possess an aesthetic and artistic value that transcends their primary function, pointing out that older design lines were closer to music and art, compared to modern designs dominated by commercialism.

This year, the festival features more than 300 classic and rare cars, representing diverse design schools from Japan, Europe, and the United States, in an arrangement that allows visitors to compare models in one place.

It also offers a diverse programme combining specialised panel discussions, interactive activities, and family events, enriching the visitor experience and giving it a comprehensive cultural and entertainment dimension.

WAM