Under the Patronage of the Fujairah Crown Prince, Rashid Al Sharqi Attends the Ceremony of the Seventh Fujairah Photography Award

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, Sheikh Dr. Rashid bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Chairman of the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority, attended the ceremony of the Seventh Fujairah Photography Award. The ceremony was held at Bait Al Fan – Art House in Fujairah, in the presence of a distinguished gathering of artists, media professionals, and visual arts enthusiasts.

The award is part of the efforts of the Fujairah Crown Prince to support cultural and artistic creativity, and to establish the Emirate as a hub for visual arts and contemporary creativity locally and globally, as well as highlight the pioneering role of Fujairah in nurturing talent and encouraging artistic production that reflects aesthetic, heritage, and human values.

Sheikh Dr. Rashid bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Chairman of the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority, emphasized that Fujairah has achieved a distinguished cultural and artistic standing at the Gulf, Arab, and international levels through its organization of prestigious theatrical, artistic, and literary festivals and competitions. He noted that this pioneering role carried out by Fujairah, represented by the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority and other relevant entities, is grounded in the insightful directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah, as well as the vision and follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah. These directives aim to cultivate generations enriched with culture and endowed with a strong sense of national awareness, serving the nation, its leaders, and its people, in line with the cultural and social development journey of the State.

His Excellency Nasser Mohammed Al Yamahi, Executive Director of the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority, delivered a speech during the ceremony. In his speech, he affirmed that the Fujairah Photography Award has committed itself to the mission of showcasing and embodying the genius of place in Fujairah. It aims to showcase the Emirate’s rich folk and cultural heritage, delve into its past and present, and envision its future. This is achieved through photographs that genuinely and profoundly convey the emotions and essence of both people and place.

He added that the seventh edition has witnessed a remarkable turnout and fierce competition, attracting a wealth of talent from within the UAE as well as photographers from across the globe. The award has therefore achieved international stature that reaffirms its success in achieving its goals of promoting creativity and innovation in the fields of photography and visual arts, enhancing cultural tourism, and discovering, supporting, and motivating talents to create. This aligns with the pioneering role of the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority in elevating the aesthetic and creative sensibilities of our most gifted individuals.

The ceremony included an operetta titled “Fujairah… A Light That Never Fades”, written and directed by Fatima Yousif. The performance traced the evolution of photography across the ages and featured a filmed scene showcasing a group of talented photographers of various age groups from Fujairah. It concluded with a comprehensive scene that brought together all the photographs in one symbolic tableau. The ceremony then honoured the winners in the award categories and recognized the judging panel in appreciation of their efforts.

In this edition, participants competed across three main categories: the main category, “Fujairah: City of the East and Light”, which reflects the beauty of the Emirate and its cultural radiance; the local category, “Traditional Crafts and Markets”, which highlights authentic Emirati heritage; and the global category, “Stories from the Street”, which captures the vibrancy of human life across diverse environments and cultures. In the competition results, the winners of the main category, “Fujairah: City of the East and Light” were:

First Place: Mohammed Khalid Al Musaabi

Second Place: Salem Sarhan Amer

Third Place: Ibrahim Abdullah Al Hammadi

In the local category, “Traditional Crafts and Markets”, the winners were:

First Place: Youssef Nasser Mohammed (Egypt)

Second Place: Maitham Aqeel Al Louti (Oman)

Third Place: Heba Mohammed Al Bajawi (Egypt)

In the global category, “Stories from the Street”, the winners were:

First Place: Essa Ibrahim Mohammed (Bahrain)

Second Place: Anas Juma Youssef (Iraq)

Third Place: Saurabh Sirohiya Surendra

The award’s events will continue until November 15, featuring art exhibitions, training workshops, and musical and heritage performances held across the Emirate. These events celebrate visual creativity and encourage talent in the field of photography, both within the UAE and abroad, reaffirming Fujairah’s status as a cultural and artistic hub that honors light and beauty.

The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Dr. Ahmed Hamdan Al Zeyoudi, Director of the Office of His Highness the Crown Prince of Fujairah, along with several officials from the Emirate and the State.