The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs honored the winners in the Arabic calligraphy competition for public schools, organized by the Ministry to accompany the Qatar International Arabic Calligraphy Competition (Al Raqim).

The ceremony was held at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE)'s theater, in the presence of HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al-Thani and HE Undersecretary of the MOEHE Dr. Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, to announce the 80 winning students and award them valuable prizes.

Chairman of the organizing committee of Al Raqim Dr. Saleh bin Ali Al Marri said that this competition was designed to achieve one of the pillars of the Qatar National Vision regarding the promotion of cultural identity and the development of local talents.

Dr. Al Marri added that the competition contributes to preserving this authentic Arab artistic heritage and encourages young men and women to actively participate in cultural activities that connect them to their historical roots.

The Chairman of the organizing committee of Al Raqim said that together with the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA)-under the umbrella of Qatar Museums-the committee evaluated the art works of all participating students and selected the top 10 works from each participating school.

He added that the organizing committee honored the coordinators of the participating schools who made significant efforts and contributed to the success of this unique competition.

Regarding expanding the Arabic calligraphy school competition over the coming years, Dr. Al Marri said that the organizing committee has plans to enlarge the competition to include more schools, in addition to introducing new categories, enhancing the impact of this cultural activity.

Dr. Al Marri thanked the MIA for this fruitful collaboration and expressed gratitude to the MOEHE, the participating schools, and students' parents for being part of this special cultural event.

For her part, Director of MIA Shaikha Nasser Al Nassr praised the competition and highlighted Qatar Museums' keenness on this collaboration with the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, which stems from the belief in the importance of instilling pride in Arab and Islamic heritage in students, consolidating their national and cultural identity and enhancing their Arabic calligraphy skills.

Al Nassr added that the MIA contributed significantly to the competition by offering students Arabic calligraphy workshops and introducing them to the history and importance of Arabic calligraphy, not to mention providing them with an interactive educational space to inspire them.

The Director of MIA underscored the exceptional skill demonstrated in many of the students' submissions and the remarkable diversity in their skills, a testimony to the benefit received from the workshops and the continuous guidance of the competition's supervisors.

Organized by the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs in collaboration with the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and the MOEHE, the ceremony was attended by officials from all of the aforementioned entities, along with the participating students, their parents, and school coordinators and supervisors.