MUSCAT, DEC 18
Under the auspices of Dr Mohammed bin Said al Maamari, Minister of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, the 12th Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature ceremony was held at Al Wahat Club in Muscat.
The 2025 award winners were honoured across three fields. The Asilah Forum Foundation received the Culture award for private cultural institutions. Established in 1978 in Asilah, Morocco, the foundation is known for promoting cultural dialogue and using art to support development. In the Arts field, the Sculpture award went to Egyptian artist Essam Mohammed Sayed Darwish, recognised for his long career and works held by major institutions across the Arab world and beyond. The Literature award for Biography was presented to Lebanese writer and literary critic Hikmat Al Sabbagh, known as Yumna Al Eid, for her significant contributions to Arabic literary writing and criticism.
Habib bin Mohammed al Riyami, Chairman of the Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science, said the award supports culture, arts and literature as essential paths for human progress. “All the works submitted for the award are a real cultural gain,” he added, noting that 31 Omani and Arab winners have been honoured since the award’s inception in 2012. The award also supports winners by publishing their works and presenting them at local and international exhibitions.
Dr Aziza al Taie, writer, literary critic and member of the First Screening Committee, highlighted the award’s wide scope. She said, “The Sultan Qaboos Award does not focus on one type of art or writing. It opens new paths for creativity and gives attention to important forms such as biography,” adding that this approach encourages young writers and artists to explore new ideas and develop their talents.
A total of 466 candidates met the nomination requirements in this edition. It was also announced that the 13th edition of the award will be limited to Omani participants only, following the award’s rotating system that alternates between Arab-wide and Oman-focused cycles.
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