Emirates Scholar Center joins ISESCO regional family forum in Sharjah

Emirates Scholar Center for Research and Studies will serve as a scientific partner at ISESCO’s Regional Family Forum in Sharjah on Oct. 28-29, where researchers and officials will debate family support, social cohesion and the pressures reshaping households. The event comes during the UAE’s Year of the Family 2026 and is expected to produce policy recommendations, community initiatives and training programs.

Why it matters: - The forum puts family policy, social cohesion and child-rearing challenges at the center of a regional conversation. - The gathering comes during the UAE’s Year of the Family 2026, adding national weight to the discussion. - Organizers expect the forum to generate strategic recommendations, community initiatives and training programs that could shape future family support efforts.

What happened: - Emirates Scholar Center for Research and Studies is participating as a scientific partner in ISESCO’s Regional Family Forum. - The forum will be held in Sharjah on Oct. 28-29 at the ISESCO regional office. - The event is organized by ISESCO’s regional office in Sharjah under the patronage of Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, chair of the Sharjah Family and Community Council. - The forum is being held under the theme “The family is a balance that shapes the future.”

The details: - Dr. Fawaz Habbal, secretary-general of Emirates Scholar Center, will moderate a session titled “The family at the heart of transformation: Do support systems meet today’s family needs?” - That session will examine whether government and community support systems are keeping pace with changing family needs, rising responsibilities and modern life pressures. - Dr. Firas Habbal, president of Emirates Scholar Center, will speak in a session titled “Is our home well? Between ambition, care and psychological pressure... what does a family need to stay cohesive?” - His session will focus on balancing career ambition with caregiving, the effect of psychological stress on family health and ways to strengthen household cohesion. - The forum will bring together policymakers, experts and academics from around the world. - More than 20 speakers are scheduled to participate. - Participants include Salem Omar Salem, regional director of ISESCO’s Sharjah office; Abdullah Al Nuaimi, assistant undersecretary for the family and child sector at the Ministry of Family; and Dr. Mustafa Yusuf Ali, executive director of Arigatou International and secretary-general of the Global Network of Religions for Children. - The program includes dialogue sessions, scientific paper presentations under the track “From research to practice,” and interactive workshops for families. - Sessions will address value-building for the next generation and the influence of influencers and algorithms on child-rearing.

Between the lines: - Emirates Scholar Center’s role reflects a broader push to connect academic research with practical family policy and community programming. - The center’s participation also extends a memorandum of understanding with ISESCO aimed at cooperation in research, innovation, knowledge exchange and sharing expertise. - The forum’s agenda shows a strong focus on how digital change is affecting family life, not just traditional social support questions.

What's next: - The forum is expected to end with recommendations for policymakers and community stakeholders. - Organizers also expect new ideas for family-focused research, outreach and training initiatives. - The event may help translate family research into programs that better match current social and psychological pressures.

The bottom line: - Sharjah’s family forum is positioning research, policy and community action as a single agenda for strengthening households in the UAE and across the region.