Sharjah convenes regional voices on family, transformation and shared futures

The ICESCO Regional Family Forum opens this week in Sharjah, bringing together families, experts and policymakers from across the Gulf and beyond to explore how households navigate rapid change and build resilience for generations to come.

The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation hosts its Regional Family Forum in Sharjah this week, a gathering that moves beyond the conventional seminar format to create genuine space for families themselves to articulate the pressures and possibilities they encounter each day. Held on 28 and 29 October at the ICESCO Regional Office in University City, the forum unfolds under the theme “The Family… A Balance That Shapes the Future”, a framing that acknowledges both the delicate equilibrium families must maintain and their generative power within society.

The two day programme draws participants from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Morocco, the Sultanate of Oman and Kenya, creating a regional platform that treats families not as subjects for expert commentary but as active participants in dialogue. Salem Omar Salem, Regional Director of ICESCO in Sharjah, articulates this philosophy plainly: the forum seeks to hear challenges as families themselves experience them, drawing diverse expertise into unified conversation. Such an approach reflects recognition that the transformations families face today—whether in values, intergenerational dynamics, digital life or the juggling of work and care—cannot be resolved by any single institution but require integrated effort across sectors.

The forum’s architecture reflects this commitment to practical application over theory alone. Panel discussions, academic presentations, case studies and interactive workshops create texture and variety, enabling experts, researchers, young people and families to exchange experience and knowledge directly. The subjects under examination speak to the texture of contemporary family life: upbringing and values; the influence of online platforms and content creators; financial literacy; the demands of balancing multiple roles; preparedness for change ahead. As we have reported previously, Sharjah hosts this forum to explore family stability amid digital transformation and cultural change, themes that resonate across the region.

Salem adds that ICESCO’s vision extends beyond the forum itself: the organisation seeks to build lasting relationships, partnerships and programmes with ripple effects far beyond the event. Sharjah, in this conception, becomes a hub where local, regional and international experiences converge, focused on issues that touch individuals, families and the prospects of coming generations.

What it means for Abu Dhabi

Sharjah’s role as host to this forum reinforces the Emirates’ commitment to supporting dialogue on family and societal wellbeing at a regional scale. The gathering brings together voices from across the Gulf and beyond to grapple with shared challenges and opportunities, strengthening networks of expertise and practice that benefit the entire region.

The forum’s emphasis on translating dialogue into actionable recommendations and initiatives reflects values central to the Emirates’ approach to sustainable development and social cohesion. By convening families, researchers, policymakers and community institutions, the event models the integrated, multi-sectoral approach increasingly seen as essential to addressing the complex challenges modern households face, from digital transformation to financial security to generational continuity.

Source: WAM