Around 120 male and female inmates at the Sharjah Punitive and Correctional Establishment participated in various programmes designed by Sharjah Museums Authority (SMA) as part of a social responsibility and accessibility initiative.

In the months of September and October 2021, the inmates attended online lectures on utilising available materials to create art at Sharjah Art Museum, a workshop on recycling paper at Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, an Arabic calligraphy and Al Ruq’ah hand writing workshop at Sharjah Calligraphy Museum, a stone engraving course at Khor Fakkan Fort, as well as an extensive training course to help them deliver professional museum tours. As part of the professional tour guide course, the participants were educated about the importance of museum, collections, qualities of a tour guide and communication techniques.

These educational programmes were welcomed by the inmates who hailed the positive impact of the courses. According to Manal Ataya, Director General of SMA, such programmes are in line with their ‘accessibility for all’ mission and support rehabilitation and overall well-being of inmates. “We believe that, this contributes to them being becoming active, positive members of the community at the time of their release.”

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