School of Life Launches Innovation Hackathon in Dubai Public Libraries

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) presents a rich programme of knowledge and inspirational sessions for patrons of Dubai Public Libraries, through their numerous themed clubs. These fall under the umbrella of the School of Life project, aimed at public empowerment, developing their creative skills, refining their abilities in the arts, raising their awareness, and encouraging the adoption of quality living concepts. Interactive workshops, presented in both Arabic and English, provide them with the opportunity to understand the importance of space and engage in innovation through the ‘Innovation Hackathon’. This is complemented by the exploration of the works of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama and discussions about valuable books. This initiative aligns with Dubai Culture’s commitment to creating a creative environment within Dubai Public Libraries and comes as part of Dubai’s cultural vision, which aims to cement the emirate’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.

The School of Life February programme will present a series titled ‘Innovation & Space’. As part of the ‘Wiki Club’ Al Rashidya Public Library will offer its visitors an inspiring series of workshops, including ‘Futuristic Robots’, led by Rahmah Hussain. In this, participants will get inspired by robotic science and how our world is developing into a more futuristic and technological existence, creating their robots using recycled products and mixed media materials. In Hatta Public Library Duaa Elkhalifa will present the session ‘Wikipedia Innovation Ambassador’ providing participants with the opportunity to empower themselves with the necessary skills to create and edit articles on this platform.

From 13 to 15 February Al Safa Art and Design will host the ‘Innovation Hackathon’ activities, supervised by experts from BrainPad. Children aged 8 to 14 will delve into programming electronic and arcade games, and combine digital and physical aspects for game development. The winners of the hackathon will be announced on the third day, celebrating the achievements of budding developers.

The ‘Book’ and ‘Painting’ clubs at Al Safa Art and Design Library will offer a wide range of workshops, starting with the ‘Bookshelf Discussion’ session, under the supervision of Kira Jean, where the participants will share the transformative power of stories and highlight written works that are changing the conversation and broadening the literary landscape in the UAE and beyond. Through the ‘Painting’ club Tarfa Habash will present ‘Mushrooms’, inspired by the Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama. Here, young artists will explore the whimsical world of Kusama’s art and recreate these iconic fungi, expressing their creativity through vibrant colours and playful shapes. At the ‘Chess’ club Levi Dano Mercado will present the ‘Sharpen Your Mind with Chess Puzzles’ activity, where the participants will learn to enhance problem-solving skills and develop the ability to recognize strategic patterns.

In conjunction with the 12th edition of the Sikka Art and Design Festival, taking place from 23 February to 3 March 2024 at Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood, the School of Life will present the ‘Delicious Tales’ workshop supervised by Lamya Tawfik. This will allow children to explore stories inspired by various food categories. Maryam AlFarsi, within the ‘Languages Club’, will conduct the workshop ‘How to Construct Sentences in Emirati Dialect (Culinary Edition)’, deepening participants’ understanding of culinary expressions in the local lingo. She will also present ‘Knowing Each Other in Emirati Dialect’ at Al Twar Public Library.