emirates7 - 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.
Organised under the theme “Social Cohesion and Solidarity”, the event aligned with the Year of Community 2025, which focuses 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, said, “Over the past editions, Al Burda Award has succeeded in promoting Islamic arts with a contemporary vision that preserves authenticity and focuses on innovation, becoming today a global platform that honours creators in the fields of calligraphy, ornamentation, poetry, and contemporary arts.”
He added, “With every new edition of Al Burda Award, we reinforce the position of Islamic art as a source of cultural dialogue and a platform that expresses the values of beauty, peace, and mutual respect, embodying the United Arab Emirates’ message in supporting civil dialogue among cultures.”
This year’s edition saw a remarkable diversity of submissions, with artists and creators representing more than 50 countries worldwide. More than 1,300 works were received across the categories of Arabic poetry, Arabic calligraphy, and ornamentation, marking a 23 percent 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 innovative interpretations of Arabic letterforms in contemporary visual styles.
The Contemporary Calligraphy category saw Mohamadreza Bashiri claim first place for a work that blended modernity with the timeless spirit of Arabic calligraphy. He was followed by Mehdi Zamani Boloukani in second and Nagat Farouk Ibrahim Soliman in third. Mohammad Saeed Naghashian placed fourth, while Reihaneh Keshtgar Ghasemi received fifth place for their creative contemporary calligraphic expressions.
In the Traditional Calligraphy category, Ahmed Elhawary secured first place for a meticulously executed artwork rooted in classical principles. Dr. Belal Mokhtar Salah Atia earned second place, while Meryem Nuruzihalilani came in third. Ahmadali Namazi placed fourth, whereas Ali Mamdou and Ijaz Rahim shared fifth place for works demonstrating exceptional mastery of traditional calligraphy techniques.
The Traditional Illumination category recognised Mohsen Moradi with first place, followed by Zahra Doosti in second and Habibulrahman Soltani in third. Elham Golafrouz Nafouti placed fourth, while Afsaneh Mahdavi and Alireza Abasalt shared fifth place, each presenting distinguished ornamental compositions inspired by Islamic artistic heritage.
In the Contemporary Illumination category, Nadir Tatar won first place, Mihriban Beyza Kaya took second place, and Narges Momeni received third place, honouring their successful fusion of tradition with modern artistic approaches.
The Classical Arabic Poetry category awarded first place to Nashwa Gad for a poem noted for its depth and refined linguistic structure. Emad Abo Ahmad earned second place and Hasan Mubarak Alrubih received third place. Encouragement awards were granted to Fadila Adimi and Mouaz Ouyoun for their promising poetic talent.
In the Nabati Poetry category, Hamad Almutiri won first place, followed by Abdullah Ali Mubarak AlHajri in second place, and Abdul Aziz Al-Omairi in third, in recognition of poetic works marked by expressive strength and rich linguistic heritage.
The Free Verse Poetry category saw Zohair Altaheri win first place, Salma Jaffeli take second place, and Ahmed Salama Selim Abed receive third place for their contemporary poetic expressions that conveyed human experience with creative depth.
The ceremony featured an artistic programme inspired by the creative narrative “Beauty in Unity”, which included five musical segments—Beauty of Traditions, Beauty of Harmony, Beauty of Diversity, Beauty of Cooperation, and Beauty of Alignment—in addition to three spoken segments themed around unity, contribution, and growth.
Together, they conveyed a message emphasising that beauty emerges from the meeting and complementarity of differences, making the collective presence more powerful than the sum of its parts.
The award seeks 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 launch in 2004, Al Burda has established itself as a prestigious global platform celebrating pioneers of Islamic arts across the Arab and Islamic worlds. It continues to reinforce the UAE’s standing as a global hub of cultural diversity, artistic excellence, and humanistic dialogue.
The ceremony celebrated outstanding creators in Islamic arts across the categories of Arabic calligraphy, poetry, illumination, and typographic design.
Organised under the theme “Social Cohesion and Solidarity”, the event aligned with the Year of Community 2025, which focuses 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, said, “Over the past editions, Al Burda Award has succeeded in promoting Islamic arts with a contemporary vision that preserves authenticity and focuses on innovation, becoming today a global platform that honours creators in the fields of calligraphy, ornamentation, poetry, and contemporary arts.”
He added, “With every new edition of Al Burda Award, we reinforce the position of Islamic art as a source of cultural dialogue and a platform that expresses the values of beauty, peace, and mutual respect, embodying the United Arab Emirates’ message in supporting civil dialogue among cultures.”
This year’s edition saw a remarkable diversity of submissions, with artists and creators representing more than 50 countries worldwide. More than 1,300 works were received across the categories of Arabic poetry, Arabic calligraphy, and ornamentation, marking a 23 percent 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 innovative interpretations of Arabic letterforms in contemporary visual styles.
The Contemporary Calligraphy category saw Mohamadreza Bashiri claim first place for a work that blended modernity with the timeless spirit of Arabic calligraphy. He was followed by Mehdi Zamani Boloukani in second and Nagat Farouk Ibrahim Soliman in third. Mohammad Saeed Naghashian placed fourth, while Reihaneh Keshtgar Ghasemi received fifth place for their creative contemporary calligraphic expressions.
In the Traditional Calligraphy category, Ahmed Elhawary secured first place for a meticulously executed artwork rooted in classical principles. Dr. Belal Mokhtar Salah Atia earned second place, while Meryem Nuruzihalilani came in third. Ahmadali Namazi placed fourth, whereas Ali Mamdou and Ijaz Rahim shared fifth place for works demonstrating exceptional mastery of traditional calligraphy techniques.
The Traditional Illumination category recognised Mohsen Moradi with first place, followed by Zahra Doosti in second and Habibulrahman Soltani in third. Elham Golafrouz Nafouti placed fourth, while Afsaneh Mahdavi and Alireza Abasalt shared fifth place, each presenting distinguished ornamental compositions inspired by Islamic artistic heritage.
In the Contemporary Illumination category, Nadir Tatar won first place, Mihriban Beyza Kaya took second place, and Narges Momeni received third place, honouring their successful fusion of tradition with modern artistic approaches.
The Classical Arabic Poetry category awarded first place to Nashwa Gad for a poem noted for its depth and refined linguistic structure. Emad Abo Ahmad earned second place and Hasan Mubarak Alrubih received third place. Encouragement awards were granted to Fadila Adimi and Mouaz Ouyoun for their promising poetic talent.
In the Nabati Poetry category, Hamad Almutiri won first place, followed by Abdullah Ali Mubarak AlHajri in second place, and Abdul Aziz Al-Omairi in third, in recognition of poetic works marked by expressive strength and rich linguistic heritage.
The Free Verse Poetry category saw Zohair Altaheri win first place, Salma Jaffeli take second place, and Ahmed Salama Selim Abed receive third place for their contemporary poetic expressions that conveyed human experience with creative depth.
The ceremony featured an artistic programme inspired by the creative narrative “Beauty in Unity”, which included five musical segments—Beauty of Traditions, Beauty of Harmony, Beauty of Diversity, Beauty of Cooperation, and Beauty of Alignment—in addition to three spoken segments themed around unity, contribution, and growth.
Together, they conveyed a message emphasising that beauty emerges from the meeting and complementarity of differences, making the collective presence more powerful than the sum of its parts.
The award seeks 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 launch in 2004, Al Burda has established itself as a prestigious global platform celebrating pioneers of Islamic arts across the Arab and Islamic worlds. It continues to reinforce the UAE’s standing as a global hub of cultural diversity, artistic excellence, and humanistic dialogue.