Paris witnesses the honoring of the winners of the Sharjah-UNESCO Prize for Arab Culture

2026/06/25 1:04:13 PM

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Paris, June 25 / WAM / Yesterday evening, the Sharjah Department of Culture honored the winners of the twenty-first session of the Sharjah-UNESCO Prize for Arab Culture, which is organized by the Department in cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), during a ceremony held at the UNESCO headquarters in the French capital, Paris.

The current session honored the cultural entrepreneur and producer Ibrahim Al-Mazand from Morocco, and the “Dhao Countries” Music Academy from the United Republic of Tanzania.

The honoring ceremony was attended by Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Culture, Dr. Khaled Al Anani, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Head of the Department of Culture in Sharjah, Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qasimi, Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs at the Department of Culture in Sharjah, and Mubarak Al Nakhi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, along with a large number of intellectuals, artists, ambassadors and diplomats accredited to the United Nations organization.

Abdullah Al Owais said, in his speech during the ceremony, that the Sharjah-UNESCO Prize for Arab Culture is overseeing its third decade since its announcement in 1998 on the occasion of Sharjah’s selection as the Capital of Arab Culture, which was directed by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.

He pointed out that the cultural partnership between Sharjah and UNESCO has resulted in many cultural projects that serve humanity, pointing out that the past years have witnessed distinguished cultural cooperation between the UAE and the organization, adding that in each session of the award, feelings of happiness and pride are renewed with the continuation of the award process and the rise of creators and thinkers to the honoring podium.

Al Owais said that Sharjah took the year of launching the award as a global starting point, pointing out that the literary, intellectual and creative contributions of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah made culture a bridge of communication between peoples, which was confirmed by His Highness’s personal participation in international cultural, scientific and academic forums.

For his part, Dr. Khaled Al-Anani appreciated, in his speech, the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and his support for culture and creative people, stressing that it has reached creative people from all countries of the world, pointing to the paths of cooperation that UNESCO is weaving with many countries of the world.

He stressed that partnerships aimed at supporting culture and enhancing creativity contribute to consolidating the values of human understanding and building bridges of communication between peoples, which the organization places at the heart of its vision and mission, explaining that cultural cooperation with Sharjah embodies an inspiring global model for joint cultural work.

He said that the award’s arrival at its twenty-first session represents an exceptional milestone in its journey, pointing out that the continuity of a global award with this presence and official and cultural interest reflects its established status and growing influence at the regional and international levels.

He added that the award has become one of the important components of UNESCO’s efforts aimed at highlighting the role of creativity in advancing human beings and promoting civilizational values that spread knowledge and hope in the world.