The 18th Edition of the Burda Award celebrates the aesthetics of Islamic culture by honouring the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the concept of 'Al-Noor (light) which embodies guidance and direction towards the path of truth and goodness.
The Award of this edition got the inspiration from the verse (There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book) Surah Almaedah, Verse 15. This represents the arrival of Prophet Mohammed Peace be upon him and that he brought the light to people, and that he received the book of Allah “The Holy Qur'an” through Gabriel (peace be upon him). The aim was to send a divine message to light the path and inspire humans to the goodness as well as clearing the road and overcoming challenges with confidence. With the guiding power of the light, the Prophet (peace be upon him) teaches us how to walk the path of truth and contribute to spreading goodness in the world. Al-Noor (The light) embodied in the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the exemplary role from which people draw the meanings of guidance, truth, and goodness. The award, in its 18th edition, seeks inspiration from this verse through the creative works of creatives in their diverse artistic endeavours, ranging from writing arts to visual arts.
Award Categories
Objectives
By celebrating the honorable biography and character of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) on the anniversaries of his birthday, the Al Burda Award aims to:
Spread public awareness, and appreciation for Islamic art beyond the traditional formats and encourage contemporary interpretations.
Recognize and celebrate outstanding achievements of the past 20 years of the award.
Celebrate Islamic arts as a gateway to cultural communication with the world and as part of global heritage.
Highlight values and principles of tolerance through celebrating the aesthetics of Islamic arts.
Discover and recognize established as well as emerging talent and showcase their work.
Support knowledge development by creatives and professionals through residencies, workshops, writing and other initiatives.
Key Dates
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 MOC before November 01st.
The Award reinforces the key role of the UAE in supporting Islamic art through its efforts to preserve the artistic heritage of the Islamic civilisation and promote outstanding artworks to a global audience.
HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH ABDULLAH BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs