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Sharjah
A Cultural City
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 A
Place of par excellence
What more natural place than cultural capital? And this
is exactly what Sharjah is. UNESCO has declared the emirate
the cultural capital of the Arab world for 1998. This
selection comes as a result of His Highness Dr. Sheikh
Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi’s dedication and tremendous
efforts to establish an infrastructure of cultural institutions
in Sharjah. His concern for culture and education is both
a reflection of and a stimulus to the creative and intellectual
life of Sharjah. The various cultural institutions that
have been established in Sharjah include the Archeology
Museum, the Arts Museum, and the Arts Training Center.
Sharjah boasts a rich and diverse heritage.
 His
Highness has also sponsored the opening of three universities
that have the turned the Muwailih suburb into an impressive
University City. On the 31st of December 1996, His Highness
Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Ruler of Sharjah,
established by decree Number 8, the American University
of Sharjah. A private, nonprofit, co-educational, American
style institution of higher education in the Emirate of
Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, AUS exhibits that
unique combination of the traditional and the modern that
characterizes the U.A.E socio political system. The United
Arab Emirates follows the pace and meets the needs of
progress with a modern administrative structure whiles
at the same time preserving its Islamic principles and
maintaining the ancestral traditions of its Arab heritage.
 Lying
at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, Sharjah enjoys the
unique advantage of being at the cross roads of Asia,
Africa and Europe. The third largest of the seven emirates
that make up the United Arab Emirates, Sharjah covers
2,600 square kilometers and is now one of the most rapidly
developing emirates of the U.A.E. in this cultural capital
of the Arab World, under the aegis of His Highness Dr.
Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, a university formed
on the American model recently opened its doors: The American
University of Sharjah. It is a University that exposes
students to all the advantages of an American type of
university while remaining in this region.
 He
has also sponsored a project to revive old Sharjah City
in the Arts Square, the Heritage Area and Al Shuwaiheen
District. The country’s cultural development is also
manifested in the Sharjah Book Fair (one of the oldest
in the Arab World), Sharjah International Arts Biennial,
and Sharjah Theatrical days. Other cultural events include
novel and short story forums, the Gulf cinema forum, Arab
female artists exhibitions, specialized lectures and seminars,
as well as solo and group arts exhibitions. The emirate
has a growing number of public and specialized libraries
and associations for public service, such as, handicapped
issues and the environment. A Sharjah Ladies Club and
women’s associations have been established, as well
child culture centers in the various districts of the
emirate. His Highness has been keen to establish several
cultural committees, which include ones on heritage, archeology,
arts, libraries, museums, and the Sharjah Educational
Zone
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