TEHRAN – Iranian artists have been honored in four of six categories at the 16th Al Burda Awards at this year’s Al Burda Festival, a biennial event in Dubai that celebrates Islamic arts and culture.

The awards ceremony was organized on Sunday evening at the Dubai Exhibition Center, Expo 2020 Dubai.

Mahsa Javad-Davachi took first place in the Modern Calligraphy category, while Dhia Al-Jazaeri from Canada won second prize.

Iranian artists Babak Mohammedali Hejazi and Masud Asghar Mohebbifar received third and fourth prizes respectively.

In the Classical Calligraphy section, Iranian artist Ahmad-Ali Namazi-Reyhanlu received fourth prize, while first place was taken by Mohamed Gaber Abouelella from Egypt. Second prize went to Meryem Nuruzi Halilani from Turkey, and Noman Tayseer Rajab from Syria and Mahfod Thunnun from Iraq won third and fifth places.

Second, third, fourth and fifth places in the Ornamentation category were taken by the Iranian artists Masumeh Ahmad-Moradi, Afsaneh Khademreza-Mahdavi, Asghar Ahmad-Moradi and Zeinab Ebrahimshahi. First prize went to Turkish artist Mihirben Beyza Kaya.

Eight artists were honored in the Typography category, while Iranian artists Reza Babajani and Bita Amel were among the honorees.

Duaa Abzeed from Syria, Jamal Eldin Elsamani Mohammed from Sudan, Tarek Samir Alsawwa from Syria, Lama Kadri from Lebanon, Asia Alsheshani from Jordan and Fatima Abdulla Alketbi from the UAE were also awarded in this section.

In the Classical Poetry section, first place went to Egyptian poet Heba Alfeky, while her compatriot Diyaa Alkilamy took second place. Third and fourth prizes were given to Syrian poets Lamis Al Rahabi and Bahija Masri Idlibi respectively.

Omani poet Abdulaziz Hamed Mohammed Al-Omairi won the top prize in the Nabati Poetry category, Mohammed Hamdan Alanezah from Jordan came next. Ali Alqarni from Saudi Arabia and Omani poet Muzna Rabia Albrieki won third and fourth places respectively.

The Al Burda Festival launched the awards to commemorate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (S). The 2020 edition was postponed until this year due to the pandemic.

Photo: People pass a work by Iranian artist Mahsa Javad-Davachi, first place winner in the Modern Calligraphy category, during the Al Burda Festival at the Dubai Exhibition Center. (The National/Leslie Pableo)

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