Ministry of Culture concludes 19th edition of Al Burda Awards at Louvre Abu Dhabi
The Ministry of Culture has concluded the 19th edition of the Al Burda Awards at Louvre Abu Dhabi, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The ceremony brought together leading cultural, artistic, and intellectual figures from the UAE and around the world to celebrate outstanding creators in Islamic arts.
The event, organized under the theme “Social Cohesion and Solidarity”, aligned with The Year of Community 2025, which emphasizes unity, human connection, and collective harmony. The program reaffirmed the role of culture and the arts in strengthening social cohesion and fostering understanding across communities.
His Excellency Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, said that Al Burda Award has evolved into a global platform that promotes Islamic arts through a contemporary lens while preserving authenticity. He noted that each edition reinforces Islamic art as a bridge for cultural dialogue and a reflection of values such as beauty, peace, and mutual respect.
This year’s edition recorded exceptional global participation, receiving more than 1,300 submissions from over 50 countries, marking a 23% increase compared to the previous cycle. Entries spanned Arabic poetry, calligraphy, and illumination, showcasing the continued global interest in Islamic artistic heritage.
Award Results
Typographic Design:
First Place – Wisam Alsaegh
Second Place – Nur Syamsi
Third Place – Yasmin Naeem
Contemporary Calligraphy:
First Place – Mohamadreza Bashiri
Second Place – Mehdi Zamani Boloukani
Third Place – Nagat Farouk Ibrahim Soliman
Fourth Place – Mohammad Saeed Naghashian
Fifth Place – Reihaneh Keshtgar Ghasemi
Traditional Calligraphy:
First Place – Ahmed Elhawary
Second Place – Dr. Belal Mokhtar Salah Atia
Third Place – Meryem Nuruzihalilani
Fourth Place – Ahmadali Namazi
Fifth Place (shared) – Ali Mamdou, Ijaz Rahim
Traditional Illumination:
First Place – Mohsen Moradi
Second Place – Zahra Doosti
Third Place – Habibulrahman Soltani
Fourth Place – Elham Golafrouz Nafouti
Fifth Place (shared) – Afsaneh Mahdavi, Alireza Abasalt
Contemporary Illumination:
First Place – Nadir Tatar
Second Place – Mihriban Beyza Kaya
Third Place – Narges Momeni
Classical Arabic Poetry:
First Place – Nashwa Gad
Second Place – Emad Abo Ahmad
Third Place – Hasan Mubarak Alrubih
Encouragement Awards – Fadila Adimi, Mouaz Ouyoun
Nabati Poetry:
First Place – Hamad Almutiri
Second Place – Abdullah Ali Mubarak AlHajri
Third Place – Abdul Aziz Al-Omairi
Free Verse Poetry:
First Place – Zohair Altaheri
Second Place – Salma Jaffeli
Third Place – Ahmed Salama Selim Abed
The ceremony also featured an artistic program inspired by the narrative “Beauty in Unity”, which included musical and spoken-word segments themed around tradition, harmony, diversity, cooperation, and alignment. The performances conveyed the message that beauty emerges through collective creativity and complementarity.
The Al Burda Award continues to highlight the noble legacy of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), promoting values of harmony, tolerance, and artistic excellence. Since its establishment in 2004, it has become a prestigious global platform for celebrating Islamic arts and strengthening the UAE’s position as a center for cultural diversity and creative innovation.
