UAE's oldest heritage festival returns with 400-year-old perfumery, train, book market
Residents in the UAE will be able to explore a 400-year-old perfumery, a book market and enjoy a ride in the heritage train during the Sharjah Heritage Days exhibition (SHD) next month.
The 22nd edition of the UAE's oldest heritage festival – from February 12 to 23, 2025 – will showcase true Emirati heritage.
Three major exhibitions will take place, including the 'Roots' exhibition, which explores Sharjah's historical milestones in education, traditional markets, and medical practices. The 'Scents through the ages' exhibition will document the evolution of perfumery across civilisations, while the 'A century of libraries' exhibition will highlight the emirate's literary and archival heritage dating back to 1925.
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Another major highlight of this edition is 'Al Soor Square', a new venue for cultural activities, alongside the centennial celebration of Sharjah's first library, established in 1925. Additionally, the event will feature the launch of the 'book market', bringing together over 12 libraries and six publishing houses, offering a platform to celebrate literary heritage.
A dedicated 'heritage days train' will transport guests across the venue. The entry is free to make it a more family-oriented exhibition.
'Sharjah Heritage Days is the oldest heritage festival in the UAE. This year our slogan is 'Roots' because we want to focus on Emirati and GCC countries' heritage. We added more space to the festival area as we have a new square – Sharjah Old Wall Square. One of the most important aspects is the French perfumes exhibition where people will see the first production of perfumes dating back to 400 years. People will also get to see old bottles of perfumes,' said Dr Abdulaziz Al Musallam, chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage.
'People will enjoy all five senses – smell, taste, sight, touch and hear at the exhibition. Everything will be traditional and old-style. We are also using new technologies – like Metaverse – to attract the new generation.'
'We all need to go back to our roots. We are trying to showcase our real roots of heritage to attract youth in the UAE. In addition to GCC countries, we have 124 countries participating through their folk music. Expats in the UAE have their folk music groups who will be taking part in the exhibition,' Dr Al Musallam told Khaleej Times in an interview on Monday.
The festival will feature 14 academic lectures and 15 book launches, alongside cultural café discussions and the International School of Storytelling.
The exhibition will run in seven cities, starting in Sharjah City from February 12 to 23, before moving to Khorfakkan, Mleiha, Hamriyah, Al Dhaid, Kalba, and Dibba Al-Hisn.
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