Abu dhabi: The Ministry of Culture concluded the 19th edition of Al Burda Awards ceremony, held at Louvre Abu Dhabi under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, with the attendance of leading cultural, intellectual, and artistic figures from the UAE and around the world. The ceremony celebrated outstanding creators in Islamic arts across the categories of Arabic calligraphy, poetry, illumination, and typographic design.
According to Emirates News Agency, the event was organized under the theme ‘Social Cohesion and Solidarity’, aligning with the Year of Community 2025. This focus is on strengthening human connection and reinforcing the values of unity and harmony, affirming the role of culture and the arts in nurturing social cohesion and fostering collective understanding.
Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, remarked on the success of Al Burda Award in promoting Islamic arts with a contemporary vision that preserves authenticity and focuses on innovation. The award has become a global platform that honors creators in the fields of calligraphy, ornamentation, poetry, and contemporary arts. He highlighted that with each edition, the award reinforces the position of Islamic art as a source of cultural dialogue and a platform expressing the values of beauty, peace, and mutual respect, embodying the UAE’s message in supporting civil dialogue among cultures.
This year’s edition saw submissions from more than 50 countries worldwide, with over 1,300 works received across various categories, marking a 23 percent increase from the previous cycle. In the Typographic Design category, the winners were Wisam Alsaegh, Nur Syamsi, and Yasmin Naeem. The Contemporary Calligraphy category winners included Mohamadreza Bashiri, Mehdi Zamani Boloukani, and Nagat Farouk Ibrahim Soliman.
In the Traditional Calligraphy category, Ahmed Elhawary, Dr. Belal Mokhtar Salah Atia, and Meryem Nuruzihalilani were recognized. The Traditional Illumination category saw Mohsen Moradi, Zahra Doosti, and Habibulrahman Soltani receiving accolades. The Contemporary Illumination category celebrated Nadir Tatar, Mihriban Beyza Kaya, and Narges Momeni.
The poetry categories also acknowledged exceptional talent. In Classical Arabic Poetry, Nashwa Gad, Emad Abo Ahmad, and Hasan Mubarak Alrubih were awarded. The Nabati Poetry category honored Hamad Almutiri, Abdullah Ali Mubarak AlHajri, and Abdul Aziz Al-Omairi. In the Free Verse Poetry category, Zohair Altaheri, Salma Jaffeli, and Ahmed Salama Selim Abed were celebrated.
The ceremony featured an artistic program inspired by ‘Beauty in Unity’, conveying a message that beauty emerges from the meeting and complementarity of differences, making the collective presence more powerful than individual parts.
The Al Burda Awards aim to highlight the noble legacy of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), promote the values of beauty, harmony, and tolerance, and inspire younger generations to pursue traditional Islamic arts while fostering global cultural exchange and creativity. Since its inception in 2004, Al Burda has established itself as a prestigious global platform, reinforcing the UAE’s standing as a hub of cultural diversity, artistic excellence, and humanistic dialogue.