Page 21 - MBRF PR REPORT - December 2023

Press Release

Dubai International Program for Writing wraps up

Children’s Literature Workshop in Kuwait

Dubai, UAE, 11 December 2023- The Dubai International Program for Writing (DIPW), a
flagship initiative of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF),

concluded the Children’s Literature Workshop recently. The workshop, which took place at the
TAQA Productions’ Studio in Kuwait and spanned four months, included a series of training

sessions steered by renowned author Hooda Shawa.

The workshop comprised two aspects: theoretical and practical. The theoretical component

focused on the principles of narrative writing, and the practical one comprised numerous
exercises and activities centered around Arabic and translated creative stories and texts.

Furthermore, the sessions of the workshop were based on extensive group and individual
editing and reviews.

The workshop sessions concluded with six stories written by participants. The stories and
authors are ‘Azef the Risk-taker’ by Jehan Ali, ‘A Tiger in Diwaniyah’ by Sarah Abdul Hamid, ‘In

the Neighbor’s Garden: Trouble!’ by Nesma Sharif, ‘The Balloon with Eyes’ by Balqees Haider,
‘Bayoud’ by Fajr Sabah, and ‘Davdofa Jumps out of Joy’ by Noura Dhaidan.

Commenting on the workshop, Shawa pointed out that the four-month workshop provided a
collaborative platform for a distinguished group of female authors to exhibit their passion for
creative work and actual content creation, all within a structured framework focused on

developing creative texts. She further highlighted that creative writing is an artistic skill that

needs constant refinement and effort, just like any other skill. Furthermore, Shawa shed light
on the significance of gaining cognitive tools and techniques, which she referred to as ‘tools in

the box,’ to build a new narrative world in which participants explore and discover their unique
writing styles and voices.

Shawa stated that these resources include both theoretical and cognitive facets of choosing
carefully and artistically while crafting narratives. These choices comprise selecting the topic

and title, finding the ideal chronological structure for the text, choosing the appropriate