In an effort to inculcate civic values and a responsible attitude in children while using the Internet, Sharjah Department of eGovernment (DeG), brought its virtual reality game, “Sharjah Land,” and a series of informative and educational activities for the entire family to the Sharjah Forum for Culture and People, which started yesterday.
The five-day forum has been organised by the Cultural and Information Office of the Sharjah Council of Family Affairs (SCFA), under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs.
The Forum will run until 3 April, at Al Muwafjah Park. The timings of the event are 4:00pm to 8:00pm. DeG’s bouquet of activities at the Forum will include a fun social experiment that will assess children’s vulnerability to fall into online traps, an outdoor cinema screening, a Q&A with exciting prizes, and other informative entertainment.
“I encourage every family in Sharjah and the UAE to participate and educate themselves about using the Internet in beneficial ways. By bringing “Sharjah Land” to the Forum, we aim to introduce fun ways to educate children about Sharjah, its values, as well as promote creative and educational uses of digital technologies,” said Sharjah Land’s principal architect and DeG’s Director, Noor Ali Al Noman.
She added, “While thinking about ways to safeguard the younger generations from online risks, the use of digital technologies requiring Internet connectivity may not come to mind at all. DeG’s commitment is to change that mindset.”
“The world today is experiencing unprecedented developments in digital internet-based information and communication technologies, and we aim to nurture a confident generation of individuals, empowered to achieve their rights to learn, express themselves and participate meaningfully in their communities in a safe and informed way,” concluded Al Noman.
Despite the growing number of young children who go online and who are using a wide range of technologies, little is known about their interactions with those technologies.
Source: http://www.gulftoday.ae/portal/8b4132a8-68a3-490b-ae39-55fb914ed754.aspx