The Department of Social Services in Sharjah participates in the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival in its fourteenth session, which is organized by the Sharjah Book Authority, under the slogan “Be the Hero of Your Story,” from May 1 to 12 at Expo Sharjah. The festival is an annual event organized under the directives of His Highness. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and under the patronage of his wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, where the department organizes through its platform at the festival a group of interactive, educational and entertaining activities that enrich children’s information and experiences and help them hone their creativity. And their innovations. On this occasion, Maryam Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of the Department of Social Education at the Department, said that the aim of the Department’s participation in this important annual event is due to its keenness to participate in all activities in the emirate, as well as because it is an appropriate opportunity to deliver many awareness, educational and preventive messages to many of the problems that confront the Emirati family in a way. In particular and Arabic in general, so all our activities and programs distributed over 12 days will carry a lot of knowledge and values ​​for all members of society who are keen to visit the festival. Al-Quseir said: What is new in our participation in this session is the participation of Safe Digital Life Ambassadors in the festival’s activities on a daily basis, so that we give them the opportunity to introduce this initiative that the department launched about a year ago, with the aim of training and qualifying a team of students between the ages of 10 and 16 years, to become Ambassadors specialized in spreading awareness about the importance of a safe digital life among their colleagues in schools. In addition to raising the level of awareness among school students about safe digital behaviors, qualifying them to assume the leadership role to be future ambassadors, and forming the student’s personality by enhancing his abilities and skills. 10 activities per day. The Director of the Social Education Department followed by saying, “Our program includes providing 10 various activities per day, and is based on 4 standards, which are instilling values, prevention, protection, and awareness, and around them all the workshops take place, which make way for children visiting the festival to participate in its sections, as well as for parents and the public.” Among the titles presented in the value-instilling workshops are: honoring one’s parents, goodness, and respect. In prevention workshops, programs are presented on how to say no to those who harm you, digital safety and children’s rights, and what you will become tomorrow. As for awareness-raising values, its workshops include titles such as ambition, responsibility, good company, bullying, cooperation, and giving. Volunteer Opportunity A group of volunteers from the Sharjah Volunteer Center are also participating in the volunteer opportunity “Leaders of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival 2024,” which was launched by the Sharjah Book Authority to contribute to the organizational work and ceremonies at the festival sites. It is a volunteer opportunity for college and university students. They contribute to the organizational work and ceremonies at the exhibition sites and to providing support and assistance to participants, visitors, the technical and artistic support team, and the financial resources team.