Letters to the editor
Support is needed for non-profit community initiatives – Community Report – Gulf News Dt. 19.03.2011
Community Report – Gulf News Dt. 19.03.2011 – Support is needed for non-profit community initiatives
The success of the Fourth Used Book Fair in Sharjah could have been even more far-reaching with help from sponsors and volunteers, reader says.
– The reader is a technical officer based in Abu Dhabi
– Be a citizen reporter. Tell us what is happening in your community. Write to us and send us your videos and pictures
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS Online.
Short Take – Gulf Today Dt. 19.03.2011 – Nature’s wrath
Short Take – Gulf Today Dt. 19.03.2011 – Nature’s wrath
To read it in original, please GULF TODAY online.
Shorthand skills are a dying art – My Letters – THE NATIONAL – Dt. 16.03.2011 –
My Letters – THE NATIONAL – Dt. 16.03.2011 – Shorthand skills are a dying art
To read the original article about Shorthand reffered in this letter , please visit The National online.
KT Readerspeak – Is there a place today for reading and writing?
KT Readerspeak – Is there a place today for reading and writing?
Welcome to the sixth edition of KT Readerspeak with a brand new topic for discussion to which our website readers, print loyalists and our Facebook community can contribute.
Just post your response below to the following question, write in to ktreaderspeak@khaleejtimes.ae or log on to www.facebook.com/khaleejtimes. This week’s question is:
Is there a place for reading and writing in today’s world?
My online comments as follows:
Volunteering and supporting remotely the 4th Used Book Fair organized by Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services I was able to send across a good collection of English, Arabic and French books for all ages to Manzil, a participating charity institution in the Fair.
With interest, I keenly followed up with the organizers each day the progress of this event.
The organizers did not end their efforts by merely setting up the stalls. SCHS had two interesting pavilions for children to showcase their reading and writing talent. One was specifically marked for children to draw a picture and write a short story on a specially designed paper. Each participating child was given a framed certificate enclosing their own creativity in it. It was really motivating small children to come and try their own skill at drawing and writing.
Another opportunity for children at the fair was a pavilion by SCHS to try and spell their names using Sign Language. A graphical representation was given to them and looking at it they could try and spell out their names. It was really a great experience as children, and even adults of all ages were made aware by this the value of speaking ability given to all of us.
The days of read aloud stories is dying slowly with the new age electronic generation which encourages short worded communication. However, events and activities such as these stand out and tells us that there exists a few special people who try their best to generate an opportunity for children to find a place in their life for reading and writing.
To read it online, please visit Khaleej Times Online.
Dhoni’s blunder – My Letters – Khaleej Times – Dt. 14.03.2011
My Letters – Khaleej Times – Dt. 14.03.2011 – Dhoni’s blunder
My Letters – Khaleej Times – Dt. 14.03.2011 – Dhoni’s blunder
Dhoni’s blunder
14 March 2011
A review cannot be expressed more precisely than done in ‘Reverse Appeal’ (KT, March 13) on the match between India and South Africa. The writer hit the bull’s eye straight and open. A very good start and advantage by the top end batters was lost washed away easily by senseless batting and thoughtless bowling by pacers, except Zaheer Khan.
Captain Dhoni was batting like countrywomen washing clothes near the banks of the village pond, as if either the bat will get hurt or the ball. Not to say the golden gift of the final over. Even Tendulkar was an option for him under the circumstances. Having clear knowledge of Ashish Nehra’s fitness, Dhoni persisted with him by taking him into the playing eleven and then picked him for the crucial over. With smiles and easily playable balls he obliged making Robin Peterson a hero from nowhere. Dhoni had to invent words to cover his own vendetta of not playing Sreesanth, who always had done well against South Africa. It is time Dhoni admits his mistake and selects players according to merit.
-Ramesh Menon, Abu Dhabi
To read it in orginal, please visit Khaleej Times online.
Value of money – Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 12.03.2011
Value of money – Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 12.03.2011
Sharjah Used Book Fair to conclude today – Khaleej Times Dt. 04.03.2011
Khaleej Times Dt. 04.03.2011 – Sharjah Used Book Fair to conclude today
4 March 2011 SHARJAH — The fourth edition of the Used Book Fair, organised by the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, will conclude today at Khalid Lagoon.
The book fair being held under the theme, “The Treasure of Knowledge,” aims to promote the value of books as well as to highlight the importance of facilitating, acquiring and developing a culture of reading in the community.
The used books are offered between Dh1 and Dh20, and all the books are provided by school students.
“Since last October, we distributed circulars in schools requesting students to donate their old books for the fair. We are open to all books in any language as long as they are not academic ones,” said Jihad al Taher, head of the organising committee.
The fair with 120 stalls by 52 schools and 53 organisations has more than 500,000 books on display.
The availability of quality readable books of different languages and topics at reasonable price has attracted lot of book lovers to the fair.
Children from schools visited the fair during the morning hours and families took the place during evening hours.
A centre stage is available for children to showcase the talent during the event days.
Notable amongst the stalls is one by the SCHS, where children can write their own stories with illustrations and get a certificate from the SCHS. There is also a stall set up by the SCHS whereby children can spell their name using sign language. Book displays include stalls by Manzil, Art of Living, Creative Mums, Embassy of Japan, Chinese Community and other organisations and schools.
To read it in original, please visit Khaleej Times online.
വിജ്ഞാനനിധി പുസ്തകച്ചന്ത
വിജ്ഞാനനിധി പുസ്തകച്ചന്ത
Posted on: 01 Mar 2011
ഷാര്ജ: ഷാര്ജ സിറ്റി ഫോര് ഹ്യുമാനിറ്റേറിയന് സര്വീസസിന്റെ ആഭിമുഖ്യത്തില് മാര്ച്ച് ഒന്നുമുതല് നാലുവരെ ഉപയോഗിച്ച പുസ്തകങ്ങളുടെ ‘വിജ്ഞാനനിധി – പുസ്തകച്ചന്ത’ നടത്തുന്നു.
ഷാര്ജ ലേക് ഖലീദിലെ പാം ഗാര്ഡനിലാണ് പുസ്തകച്ചന്ത. രാവിലെ പത്തുമണി മുതല് രാത്രിപത്തുമണിവരെയാണ് സന്ദര്ശന സമയം.
നിരവധി സ്കൂളുകളും സര്വകലാശാലകളും പരിപാടിയില് പങ്കെടുക്കും.
വാര്ത്ത രമേശ്
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 05.03.2011 – ‘Air’-ing it out
Short Take – GULF TODAY – Dt. 05.03.2011 – ‘Air’-ing it out
While travelling on a plane, we get to meet different people with different attitudes and approaches. Some get along very friendly and some act serious and remain like that throughout. On a flight recently, I was sandwiched between two gentlemen, who had all booked in advance and one even arranged his preferred meal choice.
As the plane took off and I made myself comfortable, I found my fellow passengers engrossed in a world of their own. There was an element of heaviness from both sides, which was not my kind of thing while travelling.
The stewardess came to serve us drinks and food. I found my co-passenger on the left asking for a Gujarati meal, which he had specially requested. The stewardess went in and brought him his special. It was the turn of the other passenger next and although not previously requested, he demanded for a Jain meal in an ‘I-must-get-it-or-else’ kind of tone. Although not available, the hostess said, she would try to get him one from the crew’s stock.
Watching all this, with a mischievous smile, I asked her, do you have a Menon meal. I will be happy to have one, as I feel very hungry and as you say, we serve homely food, so I can opt for it with all rights.
She knew, what I was up to, as did my co-passengers. Saying cheers to me, both started conversing with me, as the stewardess brought me a normal vegetarian meal available in her stock. The whole atmosphere lightened and we had a good flight and by the time we got off, we became good friends.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
Used book fair lights young passion
Used book fair lights young passion
Children take part in writing and storybook drawing workshops in Sharjah
By Mariam M. Al Serkal, Staff Reporter
Published: 00:00 March 4, 2011
A child is seen drawing a picture and writing a short story as part of interactive sessions at fourth Used Book Fair.
Sharjah: Participants at the Used Book Fair have organised a range of activities to expand children’s imaginations and to boost their writing talent.
Students were in for a treat yesterday when they visited the book fair, which ends today. They were given a workshop on how to write short novels.
While a dozen students gathered at the Young Author’s booth, a volunteer from the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) encouraged them to think about the most recent book they read and who was the protagonist in the novel, as well as what happened to the characters.
Extending the story
“Lots of children said they liked the book of Cinderella, so their task was to write about what happened to her after she married Prince Charming and to explain whether she had children, or if she became friends with her step-sisters,” said Cindrella Hassan, an employee at Sharjah Autism Centre who volunteered at the booth.
Although the activities at the Young Author’s booth catered to children from six to 15 years old, they were mostly frequented by students no older than 12 years old. After the workshop the children were directed to the activity area where they were provided with a notebook and crayons to create their own book.
“The children have to draw a picture on each page and write a few paragraphs underneath it,” Cindrella.
“Once the book and the cover page are completed, we then bind it together.”
The Used Book Fair, which is located on Buheira Corniche near Khalid Lagoon, aims to promote the value of books, as well as highlighting the importance of facilitating, acquiring and developing a culture of reading in the community. “Having such interactive activities is good because it encourages the child to become involved in books, otherwise they might forget how important it is too read,” said Umm Hassan, from Syria, who visited the fair with her six-year-old son and four-year-old daughter.
Umm Ashraf, an Egyptian mother, also agreed that children have shifted their focus from books to computers.
Computer generation
“My son, who is nine years old, is always playing with computer games and I was worried at first that he might get bored at the fair. Luckily, he is competitive in nature and soon took an interest in the workshops,” she said.
More than 500,000 books in various languages were available, which were provided by 52 schools and 53 organisations.
Due to popular demand, organisers have also extended the fair by an hour so that it runs until 11pm.
As part of the interactive sessions, the SCHS booth provided children with an activity that enabled them to say their names using sign language.
Volunteers at the booth handed out stickers with the Arabic alphabet that synchronised with the gestures of sign language.
To read it in original, please visit GULF NEWS online
ClicksandWrites 
You must be logged in to post a comment.