“Sharjah has long been home to culture, history, art, education and heritage,” says Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) Chairman Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Al-Qasimi.
Utilizing light and computer animation, the festival casts a spell on the visitors, virtually “redrawing” whole buildings in the space of a seconds. The light shows are being supervised and monitored by professionals from Lyon, France and Berlin.
Being held at 12 locations across Sharjah, the festival has given a new identity to architectural marvels like Al-Qasba, The Central Souq, Heritage & Arts Area, Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, Sharjah Fort, Cultural Palace, Al-Noor Mosque, Al-Maghfira Mosque, as well as Al-Majaz Park, Palm Oasis and the Al-Layyah area.
The Central Souq, as Sharjah’s oldest and most popular souq, enjoys the pride of place amongst Sharjah’s legendary monuments and landmarks. The uniqueness of the Central Souq show was heightened by the light and sound effects that made the building look like a steam engine train with fire and steam rising out of its “chimneys”.
“The festival has been able to cut daily electricity consumption by 51 per cent (about 321 kilo watts) during the fun and culture spectacle that is being held at 12 locations” said
Mohamad A. Al-Noman, director general SCTDA. “We want to promote tourism in the emirate emphasizing its Islamic architecture and cultural heritage."
SCTDA said that the festival, which will conclude on Friday, has boosted the image of the emirate.
