Sharjah: A group of distinguished researchers and specialists examined the evolving concept of friendship and its manifestations in Emirati folk memory. This discussion took place during the fifth session of the academic programme at the 26th Sharjah International Narrator Forum, titled "Transformations of Friendship in Emirati Folk Memory."

Participants included Dr Abdulaziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH) and Head of the Forum’s Higher Organising Committee; Dr Majid Bu Shalibi, Secretary-General of the Islamic Forum; Marwa Al-Aqroubi, Executive Director of the House of Wisdom; and poet and researcher Ali Ahmed Al-Kindi Al-Murar. The session was moderated by Dr Meni Bounama, Director of the Content and Publishing Department at the Sharjah Institute for Heritage.

In his paper titled "My Great Friend," Dr Abdulaziz Al Musallam offered an analysis of the stages of friendship and its potential to endure over time. He highlighted examples of friendships deeply rooted in local folk memory—particularly among poets from the Northern Emirates—such as the bond between poets Rashid Al-Khadar and Majid bin Ali Al-Nuaimi, which lasted until Al-Nuaimi’s passing.

Al Musallam also discussed other examples of poetic friendships, citing his own relationship with poet Ateeq Al-Qubaisi—spanning nearly 25 years—and the poetic exchanges that characterized it. He noted that friendship, as preserved in folk memory, plays a role in shaping societal identity and constitutes a vital part of the community's emotional and human heritage. At the start of the session, Dr Meni Bounama addressed the concept of friendship as a deeply rooted human value, exploring its manifestations in epics, folk tales, and literary works.

He highlighted its presence in epics such as the 'Iliad' and the 'Odyssey', noting how it served as a central human theme explored by writers and creators through diverse perspectives and styles.

In her presentation titled "From Emirati Folktales to Cross-Cultural Friendship," Marwa Al-Arkoubi discussed the experience of incorporating Emirati folktales into children's book publishing. She showcased the "Khareerifa Majreefa" project, which began with a question about how to create Emirati children's books and evolved into an initiative that presented Emirati tales to illustrators from diverse cultural backgrounds.

She explained that while the project initially sought to explore differences, it ultimately revealed extensive common ground; despite variations in imagery and expression, human emotions remain universal. This underscores the fact that stories share more similarities than we realise and possess the power to build bridges of friendship and communication across cultures and peoples.

For his part, Dr Majid Bushlaibi, Secretary-General of the Islamic Forum, offered an analysis of "narrative dualities." He focused on the relationship between the poets Jarir and Al-Farazdaq, examining the questions it raises regarding the interplay between friendship and rivalry.

He highlighted the history of poetic satire and rivalry that marked their relationship, contrasting it with the elegy Jarir composed for Al-Farazdaq upon his death—a poem regarded as a masterpiece of the genre. He used this example to raise questions regarding the concept of friendship, its boundaries, and its multifaceted meanings within literature and cultural heritage.

Poet and researcher Ali Ahmed Al-Kindi Al-Murar presented a paper titled "Friendship with Place," in which he explored the human relationship with place as a form of attachment, loyalty, and belonging. His insights drew upon his own fieldwork, encounters with oral narrators, and the stories and memories he had documented.

He noted that his research in the Liwa region revealed the profound bond connecting people to the land.

He pointed to the visible emotion and deep feeling displayed by the elderly when recalling historical sites and the people associated with them—testament to the enduring presence of these places in their hearts and memories. He explained that this relationship transcends mere geographical connection; it embodies loyalty to the place, a commitment to defending and preserving it, and transforms the location into an integral part of the individual's memory and identity.