The Ministry of Culture and Youth launched the Al Burda Award in AH 1425 / 2004 AD to commemorate the birthday of Prophet Mohammed (God’s blessing and peace be upon him). Now in its 16th edition, it positions itself as a global platform that adopts the diversity of Islamic culture and its aesthetic practices and seeks to revitalize the Islamic culture and artistic movement. As the Ministry introduces the Al Burda Festival and an Endowment in 2018, the Al Burda Award continues to position the UAE as a champion of creativity in the Islamic art field.
The award recognizes creativity and excellence in the practice of traditional Islamic disciplines and pays tribute to the complexity of the Arabic language through receiving original submissions from poets, calligraphers, and artists whose work is inspired by the Prophet Mohammed, the Holy Quran, and hadiths. As of 2018, over 300 winners have been awarded in recognition of their distinguished work.
Al Burda Award has traditionally celebrated 3 disciplines:
In a bid to expand the creative facets of the Award, the 16th edition introduces a new 4th category:
By celebrating the honorable biography and character of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) on the anniversaries of his birthday, the Al Burda Award aims to:
For the 16th edition, the key dates are as follows:
*Applicable only to the calligraphy and ornamentation categories. The applicant needs to ensure that enough time is given to ship their artwork for it to be received by MCY before October 15th.
