Government

The Ministry of Culture has concluded the 19th edition of the Al Burda Awards, held at Louvre Abu Dhabi 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 honour outstanding creators in Islamic arts across Arabic calligraphy, poetry, illumination, and typographic design.

Organised under the theme “Social Cohesion and Solidarity”, the event aligned with The Year of Community 2025, highlighting culture and the arts as essential pillars for strengthening unity, harmony, and shared human values.

His Excellency Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, said the award has consistently promoted Islamic arts with a contemporary vision that preserves authenticity while encouraging innovation. He emphasised that Al Burda has become a global platform celebrating creators in calligraphy, ornamentation, poetry, and contemporary arts, reflecting the UAE’s commitment to cultural dialogue and mutual respect.

This year’s edition attracted exceptional global participation, with artists from more than 50 countries submitting over 1,300 works—a 23% increase compared to the previous cycle.

In the Typographic Design category, the winners were Wisam Alsaegh (First Place), Nur Syamsi (Second Place), and Yasmin Naeem (Third Place), recognised for their creative interpretations of Arabic letterforms.

The Contemporary Calligraphy category awarded First Place to Mohamadreza Bashiri, followed by Mehdi Zamani Boloukani (Second Place), and Nagat Farouk Ibrahim Soliman (Third Place). Mohammad Saeed Naghashian placed Fourth, and Reihaneh Keshtgar Ghasemi secured Fifth Place.

In the Traditional Calligraphy category, First Place went to Ahmed Elhawary, with Dr. Belal Mokhtar Salah Atia earning Second Place and Meryem Nuruzihalilani securing Third. Ahmadali Namazi placed Fourth, while Ali Mamdou and Ijaz Rahim shared Fifth Place.

The Traditional Illumination category honoured Mohsen Moradi with First Place, followed by Zahra Doosti (Second Place) and Habibulrahman Soltani (Third Place). Elham Golafrouz Nafouti placed Fourth, while Afsaneh Mahdavi and Alireza Abasalt shared Fifth Place.

In the Contemporary Illumination category, First Place went to Nadir Tatar, with Mihriban Beyza Kaya in Second Place and Narges Momeni in Third.

The Classical Arabic Poetry category awarded First Place to Nashwa Gad, followed by Emad Abo Ahmad (Second Place) and Hasan Mubarak Alrubih (Third Place). Encouragement awards were given to Fadila Adimi and Mouaz Ouyoun.

In Nabati Poetry, First Place was secured by Hamad Almutiri, followed by Abdullah Ali Mubarak AlHajri (Second Place) and Abdul Aziz Al-Omairi (Third Place).

The Free Verse Poetry category recognised Zohair Altaheri with First Place, followed by Salma Jaffeli (Second Place) and Ahmed Salama Selim Abed (Third Place).

The ceremony’s artistic programme, inspired by the creative narrative “Beauty in Unity”, featured musical and spoken segments exploring the beauty of traditions, harmony, diversity, cooperation, and alignment. Together, they conveyed a message that unity arises from the complementarity of differences.

Al Burda continues to honour the noble legacy of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), promoting beauty, harmony, and tolerance while inspiring future generations to pursue Islamic arts and fostering global cultural exchange. Since its inception in 2004, the award has strengthened the UAE’s role as a global hub of cultural diversity, artistic excellence, and humanistic dialogue.

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