Doha: The activities associated with the finals of the Akhlaq Award - an international competition to revive Arabic calligraphy - wrapped up Sunday in Doha. The last symposium of the competition organized by the Ministry of Culture (MoC) addressed calligraphy engineering and was attended by renowned calligraphers and Arabic script enthusiasts.
According to Qatar News Agency, today's event featured visual artist Youssef Ahmed Al Humaid and international calligrapher Belaid Hamidi, with Saleh Al Obeidli serving as moderator. Both speakers praised the MoC's initiative in launching this global award to promote ethical values through authentic Arabic calligraphy, an integral part of Islamic heritage.
Artist Youssef Ahmed highlighted the Al Zubarah Quran, an 18th-century Qur'an manuscript penned by Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Muraikhi. Ahmed called for an Arabic calligraphy competition to be named after Sheikh Al Muraikhi.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Hamidi praised the award for its distinctive approach compared to similar competitions. He noted that participants write their pieces live in front of the judging panels, rather than simply submitting finished works.