Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 29 March 2018: HE Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development paid a visit to the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City where which she met and read stories to pediatric patients.
Al Kaabi’s visit was part of the Ministry’s ongoing participation in the National month of Reading. Al Kaabi met with Dr. Mariam Buti AL Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer, Shamma Khalifa Al Mazrouei, Chief Operation Officer and Hazza Matar Al Neyadi, Customer Relations Director, who thanked her for her visit to Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and discussed ways to strengthen the relationship between the two entities through activities and events targeting patients of different ages.
As part of the visit, the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development also donated a collection of children’s books in a variety of genres ranging from exciting and entertaining novels to educational ones reflecting belonging and love of their home country.
Al Kaabi stressed on the importance of investing in today’s youth as the leaders of tomorrow, noting that reading is now a priority for the country’s youth population. She explained that children with illnesses benefit highly from reading and listening to stories, as this can help inspire confidence, increase their self-esteem and encourage them to face challenges of their disease.
Al Kaabi stated: “It is with no doubt that reading initiatives target different groups in the community. Along with the support of our fellow partners in different sectors, we work in harmony to achieve the national reading policy objectives and continue to spread the culture of reading among all members of society. Through similar initiatives and visits, we aim to empower and enable those who have challenges obtaining access books due to personal, health or legal issues.”
The Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, one of SEHA’s hospitals, was honoured by the visit of HE Noura Al Kaabi, who dedicated her time to speak to children, and highlighted the partnership of the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development in organising this initiative during the Month of Reading. The initiative aims to spread knowledge and foster a culture of reading, as well as strengthen the partnership between government institutions for benefit the society.
Sheikh Khalifa Medical City highlighted that a positive mentality can have a significant impact on a child’s healing process. A recent scientific study concluded that regular reading can help improve the health and behavioral state of a patient, enriching the imagination of a hospitalized child and helping them to escape the pain or fear of their immediate circumstances. In combination with medication and other clinical procedures, a positive outlook can help ensure treatment is maximally effective.
In cooperation with Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development launched the “Reader Makers’” initiative for the inmates of punitive and correctional institutions. The initiative, which comes as part of the UAE’s Month of Reading activities, aims to expand inmates’ intellectual knowledge and foster cultural and ethical values. Additionally, the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development has launched the “Hekaya” application for smartphones targeting sight impaired individuals and children under reading age, as well as those who do not speak Arabic and would like to learn the language.