SCHS ORGANIZES THE TWENTY-THIRD EDITION OF SANABEL AL-MAHABBA FESTIVAL
On Wednesday, February 4, 2026, His Excellency Sheikh Majid bin Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Head of the Department of Suburbs Affairs and a member of the Emirate of Sharjah's Executive Council, officially opened the twenty-third edition of the "Sanabel Al Mahabba" Festival since 1998 by Al Wafa School for Capacity Development, which is associated with Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS). In line with best practices worldwide, SCHS seeks to fulfill the concept of community collaboration and community members' contributions to the education and empowerment of individuals with intellectual disabilities, as well as to provide educational resources and cutting-edge technologies.
The opening ceremony of the festival was attended by His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Director of Strategic Planning and Institutional Excellence at the Sharjah Real Estate Registration Department; Her Excellency Ms. Mona Abdul Karim Al Yafei, Director General of SCHS; and His Excellency Majid Al Junaid, CEO of Sharjah Cooperative Society. In addition to Her Excellency Ms. Amal Ahmed Al Qatari, Director of the Sharjah Health Authority; Brigadier Faisal bin Nassar, Director of the General Department of Prevention and Community Protection at Sharjah Police General Headquarters; and His Excellency Abdullah Sultan bin Salouma Al Ketbi, Director of Al Bataeh Municipality. Furthermore, His Excellency Khalid bin Fallah Al Suwaidi, Director of Customer Service at Sharjah Municipality; Mr. Ahmed Obaid Al Tunaiji, Director of Tourism Standards at the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority; Engineer Fathi Jabr Afana, CEO of Fast Contracting Company were present as well. Mr. Jamil Nabil Murad, Director of Taurus Foodstuffs Company; Ms. Sabiqa Saqr, Assistant Director of Malabar Gold and Diamonds Company; and a large number of students and teachers from Ministry of Education private and public schools, parents, and members of the public attended the opening as well.
Education and inclusion of people with disabilities
His Excellency Sheikh Majid bin Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi confirmed Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services' groundbreaking role in offering the best and finest academic, artistic, and social services to people with disabilities since 1979, following a tour of the colorful and lively festival grounds and the laughter of schoolchildren with their peers from SCHS.
His Excellency praised the outstanding community efforts made by SCHS under the leadership and guidance of Her Excellency Sheikha Jameela bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, President of SCHS, with the aim of empowering, educating and integrating people with disabilities, in addition to providing integrated services that meet their needs, which contributes to improving the quality of their lives and the lives of their families.
Strengthening community partnership
He noted that SCHS constantly strives to organize outstanding events aimed at Strengthening community partnership. This includes the Sanabel Al Mahabba Festival, which aims to involve the local community in supporting the education and empowerment of people with disabilities.
A model of excellence
His Excellency Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, for his part, affirmed that the Sanabel Al Mahabba Festival is a notable example of uniting the values of giving and solidarity and raising awareness of the significance of assisting individuals with disabilities with their education and assimilation into society.
He added, “The Sanabel Al Mahabba Festival is not just a celebratory event, but a strategic platform to highlight the educational and social initiatives offered by SCHS, and reflects the ongoing commitment to developing integrated educational, artistic and social programs that aim to empower individuals of different abilities and promote their integration into society.”
Values of giving and social solidarity
Her Excellency Ms. Mona Abdul Karim Al-Yafei, for her part, outlined the significance of involving members of society and its institutions in promoting the education and empowerment of individuals with intellectual disabilities by helping to provide educational resources and cutting-edge technologies in compliance with the best international practices implemented in the field of special education.
She added, “The Sanabel Al Mahabba” initiative is not limited to the material aspect only, but extends to include spreading community awareness of disability issues, promoting a culture of social inclusion and acceptance, and establishing concepts of social responsibility, which contributes to building a more inclusive and equitable society that believes in the right of people with disabilities to education, empowerment and active participation.”
Sustainability and community cooperation
She pointed out that the festival’s continuity for more than two decades reflects the local community’s confidence in SCHS and its mission, and also reflects the success of the business model based on cooperation between SCHS, community members and supporting entities. She stressed that this support has had a tangible impact on developing educational programs, modernizing the means and technologies used, and improving the quality of educational and training outputs.
5 consecutive days... 24/7
Dr. Samia Mohammed Saleh, Director of Al Wafaa School for Capacity Development, pointed out that this is the first time the school has organized its annual “Sanabel Al Mahabba” festival in a place outside SCHS, namely Al Nouf Park 1, for five consecutive days, during the morning and evening periods, with the aim of attracting diverse and larger segments of society, not just school students, and raising awareness of the services provided by SCHS to people with disabilities.
She said that proceeds from the festival are dedicated to providing the latest technologies and resources that contribute to the education of people with disabilities according to best global practices. The Sanabel Al Mahabba Festival is not limited to selling food and organizing recreational games, but SCHS is keen to provide a diverse range of services to the general public such as educational and psychological, speech and language consultations, developmental screening, and other awareness and social services.
Dr. Samia concluded by stating that the Sanabel Al Mahabba Festival is unique in that it offers a variety of entertainment and meaningful messages. These include introducing Emirati heritage, promoting and marketing the works of students with disabilities, and offering recreational activities in a setting that helps to foster social cohesion and solidarity.
Honoring sponsors, partners, and supporters
In appreciation of the support and assistance provided by the partners, sponsors and supporters of the Sanabel Al Mahabba Festival, His Excellency Sheikh Majid bin Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi and Her Excellency Ms. Mona Abdul Karim Al Yafei honored the festival’s sponsors: “Fast Construction Contracting Company, Malabar Gold and Diamonds Company, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, Sharjah Cooperative Society, and Taurus Foodstuffs Company who are Supporting Sponsors.”
Partners were also honored: Sharjah City Municipality, Al Bataeh Municipality who are Strategic Partners, Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, and Rimal International for Advertising and Publicity Company who are Media Partners.
The supporters were also honored.