The website and cultural centers of the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development has witnessed remarkable participation of students and parents over the past two days to register in the activities of the first session of the Cultural Summer Program, which is held under the patronage of HE Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development. The ministry has announced that registration will continue until the end of this week and applications so far have exceeded 1000 students. The program aims to invest in the energies of students in the summer holidays, in addition to the finding, refining and developing talents by partnering with selected artists and professors to provide them with specialized basics in the four cultural fields, in preparation for their inclusion in the programs of the ministry aimed at pumping new blood in the UAE cultural scene in general. “All the 9 centers of the Ministry across the country have received students and their parents willing to benefit from the various activities offered by the centers this year through the program. They were received by the staff of the ministry who helped them in the registration process and filling the application forms.”, commented Ahmed Al-Suraie, Acting Director of the Cultural Centers Department at the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development. He added that the large number of participants reflects the interest in participation and the importance of the workshops and courses that will be implemented during the period of the program, which lasts until the 10nth of August. It also reflects the importance of the role of accompanying events such as trips, competitions and scientific visits. Ahmed Al-Suraie further pointed out that the Higher Committee supervising the program worked on assuring from the first moment that all the cultural centers should focus on creativity in its programs, in terms of the type and quality of the workshops, courses and also entertainment activities. In addition to choosing a number of distinguished personalities, artists and writers to present workshops and courses catering to different levels and ages. “The number of applicants through the program’s website and cultural centers have reached 473 female students and 614 male students from different age groups over the past two days. Theatrical and musical courses received the largest share of applications so far and cultural centers in the Northern Emirates received an increasing number of Emirati local participants.”, noted Al Suraie who pointed out that the opportunity is still available for everyone to register until the end of this week. Al Suraie said that the first session of the Cultural Summer program represents a breakthrough of knowledge in a new scientific way to qualify gifted and creative national cadres of students from different ages and introduce them to knowledge skills in new creative fields. Such skills and experiences would act as strong basis for choosing their future creative directions, whether in in the field of art, music or creative writing of poetry, stories or novels, through the courses and workshops they join, especially that the program is a great opportunity to train and qualify young people and students to develop their skills and discover their talents and creativity.