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‘Dar Akwan’ Sponsors 1st Edition of Mohammad Abdul Moneim Zahran Short Story Award

Mohammed Abdul Moneim Zahran.
Mohammed Abdul Moneim Zahran.
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‘Dar Akwan’ Sponsors 1st Edition of Mohammad Abdul Moneim Zahran Short Story Award

Mohammed Abdul Moneim Zahran.
Mohammed Abdul Moneim Zahran.

Sponsored by Dar Akwan Publishing, the first edition of the Mohammed Abdul Moneim Zahran Award for Short Story kicked off in Cairo, with a jury headed by novelist Ibrahim Abdul Majid, winner of the Nile Award for Literature.

Zahran died in March, he was in his 50s, and left various literary works such as stories, plays, novels, and children literature, including “Things of the Night”, “Confusion of the Creature”, “Next to You When it Rains”, “Seven Traveling Carriages”, and “The Rabbit and The Parrot”.

He received several awards including the “Souad al-Sabah Award for Best Play” (Kuwait, 2001), and Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity - short story (2002).

The jury announced in a statement that applicants for the award should be Egyptians who have never had their work published and have never received an award before.

The award includes two categories: the “Full Story Collection” targeting writers aged 30 years and older; and “The Individual Short Story” targeting writers between 18 and 30 years.

The winner will receive a small cash prize, and their winning work will be published by Dar Akwan. Hopefuls should submit their application before mid-August.

Author Sumaya Abdul Moneim, wife of the late writer and secretary general of the award, said this award is a merited tribute to Zahran’s creative and unique journey.

She added that the idea was inspired by Zahran himself, who sponsored and oversaw many literary awards in the Upper Egypt district. The award aims at crowning the journey of a writer who devoted himself to story writing despite his remarkable talent in other literary forms.

Mahmoud Shawki, director of Dar Akwan, said: “Storyteller Mohammed Abdul Moneim Zahran is a distinct, pioneering talent in the world of storytelling that can be compared to Youssef Idris and Yahya al-Taher Abdullah.”

The coming editions of the award will be expanded with a bigger cash prize, and other categories alongside the short story, he revealed.

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Misk Art Institute Unveils 'Art Across the Arabian Gulf' Exhibition in Riyadh

Featuring over 70 artists and more than 150 artworks, the exhibition showcases the region's cultural trajectory during a pivotal historical phase. (SPA)
Featuring over 70 artists and more than 150 artworks, the exhibition showcases the region's cultural trajectory during a pivotal historical phase. (SPA)
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Misk Art Institute Unveils 'Art Across the Arabian Gulf' Exhibition in Riyadh

Featuring over 70 artists and more than 150 artworks, the exhibition showcases the region's cultural trajectory during a pivotal historical phase. (SPA)
Featuring over 70 artists and more than 150 artworks, the exhibition showcases the region's cultural trajectory during a pivotal historical phase. (SPA)

The Misk Art Institute, part of the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk Foundation), will launch the “Art Across the Arabian Gulf” exhibition at the Prince Faisal bin Fahd Arts Hall in Riyadh on Wednesday.

Featuring over 70 artists and more than 150 artworks, the exhibition showcases the region's cultural trajectory during a pivotal historical phase.

Running until March 31, 2026, the exhibition highlights Gulf art development through five themes: cultural heritage and development, seafarer heritage, resilience, abstraction and textual expression, and materiality and experimentation.

Visitors will explore diverse visual languages that emerged during significant transformations and how these experiences shaped artistic identities and fostered cultural dialogue.

The exhibition presents a rare collection that maps the artistic evolution of the region over five decades, from the pre-oil era to urbanization and cultural shifts. It reflects the Arabian Gulf's cultural memory amid rapid modernization, exploring shared symbols like maritime trade, pearl diving, and migration.

The event underlines the Misk Art Institute's commitment to making art accessible and inclusive, showcasing the contributions of Saudi artists within the global artistic narrative.

Culture

‘AlUla Designathon’ Blends Creativity, Heritage, Desert Inspiration

The program combines inspiration, discovery, and hands-on practice under the guidance of international curators who will provide mentorship and technical supervision to develop prototypes in fashion design, graphic design, and product design. (SPA)
The program combines inspiration, discovery, and hands-on practice under the guidance of international curators who will provide mentorship and technical supervision to develop prototypes in fashion design, graphic design, and product design. (SPA)
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‘AlUla Designathon’ Blends Creativity, Heritage, Desert Inspiration

The program combines inspiration, discovery, and hands-on practice under the guidance of international curators who will provide mentorship and technical supervision to develop prototypes in fashion design, graphic design, and product design. (SPA)
The program combines inspiration, discovery, and hands-on practice under the guidance of international curators who will provide mentorship and technical supervision to develop prototypes in fashion design, graphic design, and product design. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s AlUla is launching a pioneering initiative celebrating the creative dialogue between heritage and contemporary design through “AlUla Designathon,” a three-day journey of creativity, exploration, and innovation aimed at boosting AlUla’s position as a global hub for design and creativity, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday.

Scheduled to take place from November 21 to 23 at Design Space AlUla, the program seeks to empower emerging Saudi designers by providing them with an inspiring, collaborative environment that fosters artistic and professional growth while celebrating cultural diversity.

Drawing inspiration from Hegra, Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, the initiative aligns with the Kingdom’s designation of 2025 as the “Year of Handicrafts,” reaffirming AlUla’s commitment to nurturing a vibrant design ecosystem that bridges traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation.

AlUla Designathon focuses on supporting young Saudi talents by offering opportunities to engage with AlUla’s creative landscape, heritage, crafts, and natural beauty under this year’s theme, “The Ingenuity of the Human Hand.” The theme highlights the intersection of human ingenuity, authenticity, and renewal.

The program combines inspiration, discovery, and hands-on practice under the guidance of international curators who will provide mentorship and technical supervision to develop prototypes in fashion design, graphic design, and product design.

Participants will take part in three days of field visits and workshops, beginning with inspiration tours and ideation sessions, followed by prototype development workshops and concluding with project presentations before experts and representatives from the Royal Commission for AlUla.

Organizers also announced the extension of the registration deadline to November 5, allowing more Saudi designers to join this creative event, one of the Kingdom’s leading cultural initiatives in contemporary design.

Through Designathon AlUla, the city reaffirms its role as a global destination for creativity and design, advancing national talent and building a sustainable design ecosystem that intertwines AlUla’s timeless heritage with future innovation.

Culture

Saudi Culture Minister Attends UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference in Uzbekistan

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan attends the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand on Tuesday. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan attends the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand on Tuesday. (SPA)
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Saudi Culture Minister Attends UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference in Uzbekistan

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan attends the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand on Tuesday. (SPA)
Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan attends the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand on Tuesday. (SPA)

Saudi Minister of Culture Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan attended on Tuesday the 43rd session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) General Conference. The event is being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from October 30 to November 13.

Prince Bader underscored the Kingdom’s deep-rooted partnership with UNESCO and its commitment to advancing international cooperation in education, culture, and science, said Ministry of Culture statement.

He expressed appreciation for UNESCO’s leadership in fostering peace and mutual understanding worldwide.

“Today, as we commemorate eight decades of fruitful collaboration and shared success, we look forward to continuing this journey, deepening our cooperation, and advancing our collective efforts toward even greater achievements in the years ahead,” he said.

He highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts to advance UNESCO’s global efforts, including the Saudi Fund for the Preservation of Culture and Heritage, which has benefited 136 countries worldwide.

He underlined Saudi Arabia’s role as an active partner in shaping cultural and educational initiatives, noting that the Kingdom’s selection to host the next UNESCO Global Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT 2029) reflects its pivotal role in fostering international cultural cooperation.

Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan also met with his Uzbek counterpart Ozodbek Nazarbekov. The ministers stressed their shared commitment to advancing collaboration in cultural exchange, heritage preservation, and the creative industries.

They welcomed the ongoing collaboration between the Diriyah Biennale Foundation and the Bukhara Biennale of Contemporary Art, which featured the Diriyah Biennale’s winning design from its AlMusalla Prize.

Prince Bader also met with Chairperson of the Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation Gayane Umerova.

He commended the successful organization of the Bukhara Biennale of Contemporary Art, a remarkable cultural event that bridges a vast historical legacy with modern artistic expression, underscoring the vital role of art in advancing intercultural dialogue.

They reviewed ongoing cooperation and explored new avenues for deepening cultural relations between Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan. Prince Bader highlighted the growing partnership between the two nations in heritage preservation, artistic exchange, and cross-cultural collaboration.

He praised Uzbekistan’s active participation as Guest of Honor at the Riyadh International Book Fair 2025 and commended its valuable contributions to the Islamic Arts Biennale in 2023 and 2025 through the loan of significant Islamic art artifacts.

He also recalled the presentation of the Musalla design during the first edition of the Bukhara Biennale of Contemporary Art, describing it as a symbol of creative exchange and cultural understanding between the two nations.