Held at the event’s Hadara Stage, the session was moderated by Humaid Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Sharjah Children’s Shura Council and featured Deputy Chairman Abida Al Dhahouri, Secretary Reem Abdullah Al Naqbi, General Rapporteur Khalid Al Naqbi, and members Jouri Al Zaabi, Mohammed Al Mazrouei and Maitha Al Mazrouei.

Established in 1997 under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the Sharjah Children’s Shura Council is the first children’s consultative council of its kind in the Gulf region. Its 60 members, aged 8–14 and elected every two years, are trained to engage in dialogue, express opinions on issues affecting children, and represent the voices of their peers to government officials.

Humaid opened the session by framing Xposure not only as a platform for photographers but as an educational space where children’s voices contribute to shaping the future. "We are here to share with you a true picture of the future. They say that children should only be seen and not heard, but we are here to map the future, express our hopes and ideas, and build community under wise leadership. We help you see things through our eyes.”

The session positioned children as interpreters and creators whose perspectives on visual storytelling carry weight in conversations typically dominated by adult professionals.

Abida took the first thematic thread: the universal language of photography. “A picture speaks all the languages of the world. It doesn’t need an interpreter or translator. Pictures speak the common feelings of all humans. One photo literally speaks a thousand words. We all look at photos, but we see them through the lens of our age, experience, and maturity. But pictures have a common language, whatever the viewer’s age and nationality.”

She credited His Excellency Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), with reinforcing this principle, noting that he had said the value of an image lies not in its technical accuracy, but in its impact.

Reem explored the emotional dimension of photography, both as a tool for capturing feelings and as a medium through which feelings are experienced. “We take pictures when we are happy, when we are passionate, enthusiastic during travels. Pictures are not only memories, they express our internal feelings - whether it is happiness, sadness, or something special. Every picture has a story."

Jouri shifted the discussion to cultural identity, presenting images of Emiratis practicing traditional crafts, a grandmother preparing a food item, and a young man embracing an elder. “When we look at these pictures, we understand the traditions, habits, and customs that shape people’s lives, and the identity that comes with them. A photograph can quietly tell us what a community values and what it holds onto. In that sense, it becomes a living representation of who we are. The images we capture today are, in many ways, a trust we pass on to future generations.”

Khalid reinforced this thread by saying that photography is a historical document that carries forward the culture and values of the UAE. “Photos document the history of our country and nation, and represent our culture and traditions. They show the new generation the past and history of our country, and we derive our identity from it.”

Maitha introduced the role of imagination, or how images activate the mind and invite the viewer to construct their own narrative. “When we see a picture, we recreate it in our imagination. It helps us see the world, live the world, and tell us stories. The story is the beginning of every beautiful idea,” she said.

Mohammed closed the session by showing three iconic and popularly seen images around the world - cherry blossoms in Japan, the Statue of Liberty in New York, and a caravan of camels in front of the pyramids in Egypt, demonstrating how a single photograph can evoke an entire place, history, and culture in the viewer’s mind.

The panel positioned the younger generations of the UAE as custodians of memory and culture, suggesting that photography is a collective responsibility to future generations.

The session formed part of the tenth edition of Xposure, organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau under the theme “A Decade of Visual Storytelling”, reaffirming the festival’s commitment to providing educational and interactive platforms that empower children to engage with photography as a tool for expression, awareness, and cultural connection.