Feroz Khan’s camel casts a long shadow.

Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

The World’s Coolest Winter Photography Competition, organised by Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Awards (HIPA), in collaboration with Canon, Nikon, Huawei and Grand Stores, has announced the 13 winners of the competition and also released their photographic works.

The results of the second season reflects the creativities of the photography community from India, which won six places, followed by the Philippines, winning three places, while the Arab community took the honours by winning two winning places (Syrian Arab Republic), with the list being completed by a winner from Germany and another winner from Pakistan.

The main category feature of the competition - Winter in the UAE - encouraged the participants to witness, capture and interpret the UAE’s values of tolerance, coexistence, togetherness and humanity through their photography. Ali Khalifa Bin Thalith, Secretary General of HIPA, said: “The second season of the World’s Coolest Winter Photography competition widely expanded with varied participation in terms of nationalities, ages and levels of artistic skills; it supported the growing global reputation of the winter season in the Emirates and is an indication of the extent of wonderful experiences it offers to the public, by depicting the natural attractions such as the diversity of the UAE’s topography ranging from deserts, valleys, mountains, seas, wildlife, and others. This competition highlighted the recreational, cultural and natural attractions as well as various tourism activities in different regions of the Emirates.”

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Winners of The World’s Coolest Winter Photography Competition - Season Two, sponsored by Canon: Grand Prize Winner - Shyjith Onden Cheriyath, India. First Place Winner - Donell Gumiran, Philippines. Second Place Winner - Roger Alfonso, Philippines. Third Place Winner - Abdul Shukkur Paruthikalayil, India.

Winners of The World’s Coolest Winter Photography Competition - Season Two, sponsored by Nikon.  First Place Winner - Jerson Floresca, Philippines. Second Place Winner - Ashraf Al Hamdan, Syrian Arab Republic. Third Place Winner - Rahul Bansal, India.

Winners of The World’s Coolest Winter Photography Competition - Season Two, sponsored by Huawei Mate 50 ProFirst Place Winner - Riyas Muhammed, India. Second Place Winner - Waheed Akhtar, Pakistan. Third Place Winner - Khaldoon Al Dway, Syrian Arab Republic

Winners of The World’s Coolest Winter Photography Competition - Season Two, sponsored by Grand Stores. First Place Winner - Florian Kriechbaumer, Germany. Second Place Winner - Neelima Azad, India. Third Place Winner - Feroz Khan, India.

  Roger Alfonso’s composition.

HIPA is an internationally renowned photography competition. It was launched in 2011 by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. The award enjoys a social and legal stature as a tool for promoting Dubai’s vision of artistic and cultural excellence. On a local level, it hopes to develop and increase awareness of the art of photography among the local Emirati population.

Meanwhile, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has unveiled an impressive lineup of partners lending their support to the upcoming (commencing early October) Dubai Calligraphy Biennale. The event will witness the participation of over 200 artists and calligraphers, both local and international. The primary objective is to host a vibrant and enriching cultural presentation in Dubai.

The list of partners includes a group of cultural institutions active in the local cultural scene, namely: Dubai Design District (D3), The Cultural and Scientific Association, Juma Al-Majid Center, Foundry, Khawla Art Gallery, Firetti Gallery of Contemporary Art, Efie Gallery, BEDU, and also Etihad Museum, Al Shindagha Museum, Jalila Cultural Centre for Children and Al Safa Art and Design Library and Al - all of which are major venues for hosting the various biennial shows, to enable the public to enjoy the art of calligraphy.

The inaugural Dubai Calligraphy Biennale celebrates Arabic calligraphy and its global counterparts. Showcasing traditional and contemporary works in five languages, the Biennale will provide a platform for diverse artistic aesthetics, exploring the intersections of typography and digital art. Additionally, the event will feature calligraphy-inspired art installations in public spaces throughout Dubai, alongside a range of educational workshops guided by renowned practitioners. Through artistic activities, the Biennale also aims to discover and nurture emerging talent in the field of calligraphy.

Dubai Culture and the Fikr Institute, an interdisciplinary think-tank specialising in international relations, public policies, and global governance, have also announced the organisation of a research dialogue session titled On Building Arab Creative Economies: Challenges & Opportunities. It will take place on July 22 at the Al Safa Art and Design Library.

The event is part of a series of research dialogue events organised by the Authority in collaboration with the Fikr Institute. The aim is to support Dubai’s cultural scene globally and advance research on cultural and creative industries through panel discussions, publications, debates, and exchanging experiences, skills, and knowledge and supporting the creative sector and local and regional talents. The session will feature a group of Emirati creatives and artists, including Ammar AlAttar, Hashel ElLamki, Latifa Saeed, and Munira Al-Sayegh, along with media personality Manar Alhinai. Dubai Abulhoul, CEO of the Fikr Institute, will moderate the session. The proceedings aim to shed light on the visions of artists, curators and practitioners in the regional art scene and explore Dubai’s strategies to foster a supportive and inspiring environment for creatives. It will discuss the challenges workers face in the creative economy, their global aspirations and the initiatives and incentives necessary to ensure sustained support and growth.