A Dh20 million budget for this year's Ramadan Festival was announced yesterday by the Higher Committee of the Sharjah Ramadan Festival.
At a press conference held at the Millennium Hotel in Sharjah, the committee also formally announced the names of the sponsors of the festival.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Higher Committee of the Sharjah Ramadan Festival, who is also Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, said: "The Sharjah Ramadan Festival has been developed to accommodate all business categories. Organisers fully understand the importance of the private sector in accelerating economic development and we have thus oriented this year's festival to harmonise the efforts of government agencies with private sector interests in order to increase investments and attract a large number of visitors and shoppers."
Hussein Al Mahmoudi, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Director General and Member of the Higher Committee, said: "We aim to double the number of visitors and shoppers from within and outside the emirate this year. We will also use the occasion to drum up interest in our other seasonal activities."
The annual event will run for 37 days coinciding with Ramadan, and feature various social, cultural, religious, sport, environmental and heritage activities. The SCCI will be closely co-ordinating with local government departments to successfully organise this year's edition, which will be supported by sponsors categorised as official, main and sub-sponsors.
The official sponsors include Sharjah Municipality, Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority, Sharjah Economic Development Department, Sharjah Police, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority and Al Qasba Channel.
The annual Ramadan Festival is considered a major marketing event for the emirate.