The Ceremony was held in the presence of Her Excellency Sara Musallam, Chairperson of the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge; His Excellency Dr. Omar Al Darei, Chairman of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat; His Excellency Eng. Mohammed Al Qasim, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education; Her Excellency May Al Taee, Vice Chancellor of the Emirates College for Advanced Education; His Excellency Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Acting Executive Director of the Heritage Awareness and Knowledge Sector at Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority; and Counsellor Saeed Al Mannai, Heritage Advisor at the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority.
The event brought together representatives of key cultural government entities, including the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, and Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center. Judging panel members, senior officials, educators, artists, parents, and students from across the UAE were also present.
During her speech, Her Excellency Sarah Al Amiri congratulated the winning schools, affirming that the first edition of the competition achieved remarkable milestones that reflect a spirit of national pride and educational commitment. She also praised the quality of the submitted works, which embodied creativity and teamwork. She added: “This competition unveiled emerging creative talents and illustrated how art, when thoughtfully integrated into education, can be a powerful catalyst for character building and instilling pride in our cultural identity.”
The ceremony highlighted the competition’s phases and exhibited selected artworks. The Ministry also extended its appreciation to the jury members, comprising artists and educational and cultural experts, for their vital role in evaluating the entries based on criteria such as originality, quality, technical compliance, safety, and the integration of education and creativity.