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Technology Innovation Institute says model is ‘one of the most advanced Arabic’ offerings.
Concerns that Arabic might be left behind in the fast-developing AI sector are starting to evaporate with the introduction of the Falcon Arabic language model, created in Abu Dhabi.
The model was unveiled on Wednesday by the Technology Innovation Institute (TII) , an Abu Dhabi government-backed research centre which first introduced its Falcon large language model back in 2023.
Faisal Al Bannai, adviser to the UAE President for Strategic Research and Advanced Technology Affairs, spoke about the development as a leap forward for Arabic at the UAE’s Make it in the Emirates event.
“We’re proud to finally bring Arabic to Falcon, and prouder still that the best-performing large language model in the Arab world was built in the UAE,” he said.
According to TII, Falcon Arabic is trained on a native (non-translated) Arabic data set that covers both Modern Standard Arabic and regional dialects.
“It captures the full linguistic diversity of the Arab world,” said TII.
The research centre also said that so far the model outperforms other Arabic language models.
Large language models are complex systems designed to be trained on large amounts of text and data that help AI implementations identify patterns, come to conclusions and even understand nuances. In short, the models can make or break the user experience with AI.
Although Arabic is spoken by about 400 million people worldwide, it was not initially a focus during the initial growth of AI and large language models, with English the most prevalent.
The complexity and diversified Arabic dialects, coupled with various language nuances, posed a challenge for engineers and programmers trying to perfect machine learning technologies.
In recent years, the UAE has sought to bolster Arabic’s presence in the AI race.
In 2023, Jais, an open-source bilingual Arabic-English model, was introduced by G42, Mohammed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and Silicon Valley-based Cerebras Systems.
Later that year, Jais Climate , the world’s first bilingual large language model dedicated to climate intelligence was also announced.
In addition to Falcon Arabic, TII also announced on Wednesday the release of its Falcon H1 model, which it says “outperforms comparable offerings from Meta’s LLaMA and Alibaba’s Qwen, enabling real-world AI on everyday devices and in resource-limited settings”.
The research centre explained that efficiency was at the core of Falcon H1 development.
“This fundamentally shifts what’s possible at the smallest scale, enabling powerful AI on edge devices where privacy, efficiency, and low latency are critical,” said Hakim Hacid, chief researcher at the TII AI and digital science research centre.
“It demonstrates how new architectures can unlock new opportunities in AI training while showcasing the potential of ultra-compact models.”
Saif Karam, a student at the Government Model High School and a member of the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Creating Leaders and Innovators, won first place globally in the Chemistry Awards category. He participated with the national delegation, sponsored by the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Creating Leaders and Innovators, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF 2025), hosted by Ohio, USA.
Saif Karam received the award from the American Chemical Society (ACS), one of the world’s largest scientific societies supporting chemistry research, for his project, “Developing a Classification of New Materials Used to Convert Carbon Dioxide into Valuable Multi-Carbon Compounds, Opening Broad Horizons for Application and Use in the Fields of Industry and Sustainable Energy.
Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and his wife, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Creating Leaders and Innovators, regarding the importance of building generations that innovate in all fields to preserve the richness and diversity of human production. It also embodies the prominent pioneering role of the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation in empowering future generations to lead the future.
It also comes as a culmination of the concerted efforts, constructive cooperation, and effective partnership that brought together the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Creating Leaders and Innovators and the Ministry of Education, which is keen to cooperate with all its partners to highlight their talents and scientific capabilities in international forums. Saif completed his project with academic support from the University of Sharjah, while he was introduced to performing theoretical calculations on high-performance computing (HPC) systems.
Khalifa University played a pivotal role in enabling Saif Karam to complete his project and experiments. He worked under the direct supervision of Dr. Sharmarke Mohammed, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Head of the Chemical Crystallography Laboratory (CCL) at Khalifa University, along with his team in the University’s Chemistry Department, who provided comprehensive academic supervision during the preparation of the scientific paper.
This included the implementation of computational and experimental research aspects completed in the university laboratories, including performing theoretical calculations using density functional theory (DFT) on high-performance computing (HPC) systems.
Jassim Al Balushi, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Creating Leaders and Innovators, and Mohammed Abdul Qader, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for the Strategy Sector at the Ministry of Education, received Saif Karam and the national delegation participating in the ISEF 2025 exhibition in appreciation of them.
Chef Mostafa Seif of Khufu’s has been awarded the Skillet of Distinction by The Best Chef Awards, becoming the first Egyptian chef to receive the accolade. The award follows Seif’s recognition last year as the first Egyptian to earn a one-knife “Excellent” rating under the awards’ updated tiered system.
The Best Chef Awards, which moved away from its traditional top-100 ranking in 2023, now recognises chefs through one, two, or three “knives,” denoting levels of excellence. Seif’s one-knife placement in Dubai was the first for an Egyptian chef and signalled growing international attention to his work.
At Khufu’s – founded by Pier 88 Hospitality’s Giovanni Bolandrini – Seif leads a kitchen grounded in technical discipline and regionally sourced ingredients. His cooking is rooted in Egyptian culinary traditions but avoids nostalgia or showmanship, favouring clarified broths, cured seafood, and slow-roasted meats that reflect a restrained, detail-oriented approach.
In January, Seif participated in The World’s 50 Best Signature Sessions in Abu Dhabi, where he co-hosted a dinner with Argentinian chef Sergio Cabrera at MouzMari. He also joined 50 Best Talks for a panel titled Memory on a Plate, exploring the role of food in cultural and personal memory.
The Skillet of Distinction acknowledges Seif’s consistency in the kitchen and his contribution to platforming Egyptian cuisine in international settings – through technique rather than adaptation.
The pact interweaves water security, renewable energy mastery, and industrial sovereignty – binding Morocco’s future with a 1,400 km electricity superhighway, four desalination jewels, and 25,000 employment opportunities in a $14 billion choreography.
The largest private investment in Morocco’s modern history has just been inscribed in the country’s economic annals. Yesterday, the country sealed an extraordinary $14 billion accord with the United Arab Emirates – an injection of unprecedented scale that promises to permanently alter the country’s water and energy equation, while fundamentally reshaping its infrastructure landscape for generations to come.
The ceremonial ink still fresh, the agreement binds Morocco’s government and the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) with a consortium of financial titans: the Mohammed VI Investment Fund, TAQA Morocco (the local subsidiary of Abu Dhabi’s energy colossus), and Nareva (the energy arm of the royal holding Al Mada).
At MAD 130 billion ($14 billion), this collaboration transcends mere commercial arrangement – it heralds a profound reengineering of critical national infrastructure by 2030.
Central to this ambitious blueprint stands a colossal 1,400-kilometer high-voltage transmission corridor stretching from Western Sahara to Casablanca, complemented by a network of sophisticated seawater desalination facilities.
These projects emerge as the culmination of meticulous diplomatic chess moves, coming just five months after King Mohammed VI’s private visit to Abu Dhabi and 18 months following his official state visit to the Emirati capital, where the groundwork for this Moroccan-Emirati renaissance was carefully laid.
Desert kingdoms understand water’s value. The consortium’s hydric strategy unfolds with architectural precision: a vast network connecting the Sebou and Oum Rabia river basins, engineered to channel 800 million cubic meters annually across thirsty territories.
The first phase of water transfer between the Sebou and Bouregreg basins became operational in August 2023, successfully diverting approximately 350 million cubic meters to the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah dam, critical for supplying drinking water to the Rabat region.
Four jewels in this water crown will rise across Morocco’s map. In Tanger, a 50-million-cubic-meter annual capacity station will quench the industrial thirst of this burgeoning port hub.
Nador’s installation, six times more ambitious at 300 million cubic meters, will transform the eastern region’s hydric calculus. The agricultural heartland of Souss will benefit from Tiznit’s 350-million-cubic-meter facility – the largest of the quartet. Completing this hydraulic network, either Tan-Tan or Guelmim will host a 100-million-cubic-meter operation to serve the arid southern frontier.
These cutting-edge desalination facilities, engineered to operate exclusively on renewable energy, will collectively produce 900 million cubic meters annually.
Notably, they will maintain competitive pricing at or below MAD 4.50 per cubic meter (excluding tax), aligning with national benchmark rates established for ongoing desalination initiatives – all without requiring public subsidies.
The electric heartbeat: Energy sovereignty reimagined
The consortium’s energy infrastructure vision is anchored by a groundbreaking high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission network spanning 1,400 kilometers between Morocco’s southern territories and its central economic hub.
This sophisticated “electricity highway” will connect Dakhla to Casablanca with a 3,000 megawatt capacity, dramatically strengthening energy distribution capabilities while catalyzing economic and industrial development throughout the corridor.
This transmission masterpiece will be fed by 1,200 megawatts of fresh renewable capacity, predominantly harvested from the sun-drenched southern provinces. The geographic strategy is to harness the natural abundance of Morocco’s desert regions, translate it into clean energy, and deliver it to industrial centers at competitive rates.
Complementing these renewable ambitions, the Tahaddart complex will undergo a renaissance. This gas-fired installation will see its capacity quadrupled through new combined-cycle units, elevating total output to 1,500 megawatts. This expansion offers crucial ballast to a grid increasingly danced upon by the variable rhythms of wind energy.
The human dividend, capital choreography, and implementation cadence
Beyond pipes and pylons lies perhaps the most valuable yield: people. This grand design promises to spawn over 25,000 employment opportunities through construction and operation, with 10,000 permanent positions taking root after commissioning.
The consortium envisions not merely infrastructure but ecosystem – a fertile soil where technology transfer blooms and local industrial expertise in desalination and renewable energy flourishes. From this terrain will grow new educational pathways and technical specializations, training the standard-bearers of Morocco’s water and energy future.
The financial architecture of this mammoth endeavor will be orchestrated by the consortium, drawing capital from domestic and international financial wellsprings. The urgency is palpable; the project’s partners have pledged to assemble elite technical minds to ensure methodical implementation through 2030.
As with all ventures of this magnitude, regulatory gauntlets must be run, particularly regarding concentration operations. Each project component will be governed by bespoke development agreements between ONEE and the consortium. The first such accord, focusing on Tahaddart’s expansion, has already materialized.
The architects of the alliance
This historic partnership harmonizes complementary strengths. Nareva, Morocco’s private electricity champion, brings 3,200 megawatts of installed capacity producing over 15 terawatt-hours annually. As Africa’s wind energy pioneer, it operates eleven parks totaling 1,810 megawatts alongside the thermal goliath of Safi (1,386 megawatts).
With extensive expertise in electrical transmission infrastructure (exceeding 300 kilometers of high-voltage lines) and advanced water engineering, Nareva currently leads the innovative Amensouss project and is constructing the world’s first exclusively renewable-powered desalination facility in Dakhla.
TAQA Morocco, publicly traded on the Casablanca Stock Exchange since 2013, delivers 34% of Morocco’s national electricity requirements despite representing only 17% of installed capacity.
With a strategic focus on desalination, renewable energy development, low-carbon solutions, and infrastructure networks, the company actively advances national energy transition objectives and water security initiatives.
Its parent organization, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA), operates as a diversified energy and utilities powerhouse with operations spanning 25 countries worldwide.
A diplomatic masterpiece
These accords signal the diplomatic renaissance between Morocco and the Emirates after a period of relative ambiguity. They physically manifest the vision sketched during King Mohammed VI’s December 2023 meeting with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan – a blueprint for collaboration in strategically vital domains.
This official visit established a “renewed partnership” between the Maghreb and Gulf country with announcements of strengthened collaboration in strategic domains including energy and infrastructure development.
The sovereign’s subsequent private voyage proved equally fertile, brokering peace between telecommunications titans Maroc Telecom and Inwi, ending a decade-long legal skirmish and birthing a joint venture to develop 5G infrastructure for international events including the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup.
For fifteen years, Morocco has methodically invested in renewable energy, which now covers 38% of its electricity needs, with aspirations to reach 52% by 2030. Simultaneously confronting chronic water scarcity, the kingdom has embraced desalination as salvation. This Emirati partnership accelerates both these vital transitions, binding two desert nations in a quest for resource security and sustainable prosperity.
The King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, known as Darah, has released a new book on the history of the adhan (call to prayer) and biographies of the muezzins of the Two Holy Mosques throughout the centuries.
The book was authored by Sheikh Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid, member of the Council of Senior Scholars and imam and preacher at the Grand Mosque.
It meticulously examines the adhan ritual in the Two Holy Mosques, covering its origins, virtues, and significance, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The book is divided into three sections: the adhan’s history, biographies of 95 Grand Mosque muezzins, and 147 Prophet’s Mosque muezzins.
It presents biographies of muezzins who have issued the call to prayer from the time of Prophet Muhammad to the present, the SPA reported.
Drawing on credible historical sources and interviews, the author used a scientific approach to document the evolution of adhan tools and the relationship between the muezzin and the mosque.
The book also highlights the Saudi government’s support in selecting skilled muezzins and using advanced audio technology for local and global broadcasts.
This publication enriches the foundation’s collection, serving as a vital resource for researchers and those interested in the history of the Two Holy Mosques and Islamic rituals.
Egypt’s presence at Cannes Film Market wins top honour for design, programming, and industry engagement.
The Egyptian pavilion at Cannes Film Market, headed by a joint cooperation between El Gouna Film Festival, Cairo International Film Festival and the Egyptian Film Commission, has won the award for Best Pavilion Design Award during the 78th Cannes Film Festival.
Designed by cinematic set designer Shereen Farghal, and recognised over competing pavilions from 150 nations, the Egyptian pavilion was awarded for its design, curated programming, and strategic networking opportunities offered to Arab and international filmmakers.
“This award is a global recognition of the position Egyptian cinema occupies today, and of the continuous efforts we make to represent it in international contexts,” Hussein Fahmy, President of Cairo International Film Festival, said. “We made sure that the pavilion reflects the spirit of cooperation and openness to the world through a program full of dialogue, and cultural and artistic interaction, and represents a new step for Egypt’s presence in the global film industry.”
Held annually in parallel with the Cannes Film Festival, Marché du Film is a key space for co-productions, distribution deals, and film financing.
Trump described crown prince as “very great man like no other” and “greatest representative of his people”
Prince Mohammed said Kingdom looking at $600bn of investment opportunities, hoped this would raise to $1tn
Saudi Arabia has signed deals with the US worth more than $300 billion, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh on Tuesday.
During an address at the event, Prince Mohammed said the Kingdom was looking at $600 billion of investment opportunities, adding that he hoped this would raise to $1 trillion.
He noted that the US was among the largest partners of the Saudi Vision 2030 reform agenda, adding that joint investments were one of the most important pillars of the economic relationship between the two countries.
“The US is a major destination for the Public Investment Fund, accounting for approximately 40 percent of the fund’s global investments,” he said.
He also said that cooperation with Washington was not limited to economic cooperation, but also extended to “establishing peace in the region and the world.”
Also speaking at the event, US President Donald Trump praised the transformation underway in Saudi Arabia, as he attributed it to the leadership of King Salman and the crown prince.
Trump described the crown prince as a “very great man like no other” and “the greatest representative of his people,” and highlighted the role of Saudis in driving development in their own country and the region as a whole.
Trump pointed to Riyadh’s rise as a global business hub and noted that the Kingdom’s non-oil sector revenues had now surpassed those of the oil sector.
He said Saudi Arabia deserved praise for preserving its culture and tradition while also embracing its forward-looking, modern Vision 2030 reform agenda.
During his speech, Trump criticized the Biden administration for removing the Houthis from the US terrorist list, calling it a serious mistake.
He contrasted regional developments, stating: “Some (in the Gulf) have turned deserts into farms, while Iran has turned its farms into deserts,” and warned that if Iran rejected Washington’s outreach, the US would be forced to impose maximum pressure.
Condemning Hezbollah for destabilizing the region and looting Lebanon, Trump said: “The biggest and most destructive of these forces is the regime in Iran, which has caused unthinkable suffering in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen and beyond.”
He described Lebanon as a victim of Hezbollah and Iran and expressed a desire to help the country.
Trump also praised Saudi Arabia’s role in Russia-Ukraine peace talks and affirmed US support for the Kingdom, saying it has “a great future.”
Earlier on Tuesday, the two leaders signed a strategic economic partnership agreement in Riyadh, the first leg of Trump’s regional visit.
The partnership included the signing of Memorandums of Understanding in the energy, mining, and defense sectors.
Defense cooperation between the two countries centered on the modernization of the capabilities of the Saudi armed forces, along with an agreement between the Saudi Space Agency and NASA.
Other agreements included an MoU on mineral resources; an agreement with the Department of Justice; and cooperation on infectious diseases.
Trump arrived in Saudi Arabia Tuesday on what he called a “historic” tour of the Middle East that will mix urgent diplomacy on Gaza with huge business deals.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman warmly greeted Trump as he stepped off Air Force One at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital and kicked off his Middle East tour.
The two leaders then retreated to a grand hall at the Riyadh airport, where Trump and his aides were served traditional Arabic coffee by waiting attendants wearing ceremonial gun-belts.
Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s provided an honorary escort for Air Force One as it approached the kingdom’s capital. Trump and Prince Mohammed took part in a lunch at the Royal Court, gathering with guests and aides.
* With AFP and AP
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Saudi Arabia has signed deals with the US worth more than $300 billion, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said at the Saudi-US Investment Forum in Riyadh on Tuesday. (SPA)
In collaboration with Google Cloud, Media City Qatar’s initiative, ‘Qatar ArtBeat,’ united the nation’s voices to create a groundbreaking AI-generated artwork.
Qatar National Day marks the unification of the nation in 1878—a defining moment in its history. Celebrated annually on December 18, it is a day to honour Qatar’s rich heritage and look ahead to its boundless aspirations for the future.
At Media City Qatar, we asked ourselves: How can we celebrate this cherished tradition while embracing the innovations that shape tomorrow? How can we bridge the past and the future, merging tradition with technology, to unite our people in a shared celebration?
The answer was ‘Qatar ArtBeat’.
A groundbreaking activation in partnership with Google Cloud, this initiative brought together the collective voices of the nation to generate an AI artwork co-created by the nation. This innovative project marked a historic milestone, merging culture and technology in an unprecedented way.
‘Qatar ArtBeat’ not only captured the collective spirit of Qatar but also set a Guinness World Records™ for the “Most People Contributing to an AI-Generated Image,” with over 15,000 contributions, more than 5.4 million people reached, and in excess of 68,000 engagements from across the country. This milestone showcases the potential of technology to unify communities and amplify their voices on a scale never seen before.
Celebrating innovation and tradition
‘Qatar ArtBeat’ invited citizens and residents to share their reflections on what Qatar means to them between December 9 and December 17 through Media City Qatar’s social media channels.
Additionally, public conversations on various platforms were analysed, with responses processed by Google Cloud’s advanced AI technology—such as Vertex AI platform, Gemini models, and BigQuery data platforms. This cutting-edge process transformed sentiments found in social media comments and posts into a cohesive and breathtaking artwork co-created by the nation, for the nation.
The final masterpiece, unveiled on December 18, became a visual narrative of Qatar’s collective aspirations and creativity. The initiative perfectly symbolised the harmony between the nation’s traditions and modern innovation, showcasing how technology can preserve and celebrate cultural identity in meaningful ways.
By engaging communities across Qatar, the activation demonstrated how digital platforms can foster inclusivity, accessibility, and collaboration. This activation ensured that every voice contributed to the nation’s story, transforming individual reflections into a collective celebration of shared values and unity.
Pioneering the future of digital media
As a catalyst for next-generation media and technology, Media City Qatar connects media companies, entrepreneurs, innovators, and creative talents to shape the future of the industry.
Our focus spans gaming, news, digital and social media, media technologies, content localization, animation, broadcasters, production and post-production, and publishing. We take particular pride in fostering initiatives that celebrate Arabic-language content, uniting tradition with modern innovation.
By encouraging enterprises that specialise in the Arabic language or seek to expand into Qatar and the Middle East, Media City Qatar continues to champion the region’s voice on a global stage.
‘Qatar ArtBeat’ exemplified this mission, setting a new benchmark as the first-of-its-kind initiative in Qatar—and possibly worldwide—that achieved a new world record.
The project also highlighted the transformative potential of generative AI in storytelling and community engagement. By leveraging Google Cloud’s advanced technology, reflections were seamlessly transformed into art, reinforcing the significance of human input in creating impactful digital experiences.
A legacy for Qatar and beyond
As we look to the future, we imagine the children of today—tomorrow’s dreamers and innovators—continuing to celebrate the heritage of this great nation.
‘Qatar ArtBeat’ is a promise that Qatar’s story will be told in new and imaginative ways for generations to come. At Media City Qatar, where next is made, we are proud to help shape that future, blending tradition and technology to inspire the Qatar of tomorrow.
The award is in recognition of the professor’s efforts in scientific research, teaching, and online learning.
Moroccan scholar and researcher Younes Nafid received this week the Excellence Award in Online Learning from Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in Saudi Arabia.
He received the award on Thursday, recognizing his academic excellence and efforts in scientific research, teaching, and learning.
Nafid is a professor in the Department of Criminal Law at the College of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences in Riyadh. He also serves as an advisor for scientific research and innovation at the same university.
The Moroccan scholar authored various books and studies, and also supervised research projects and doctoral theses.
A PhD in Criminal Law and Forensic Sciences from Mohammed First University in Oujda, Nafid previously worked in Moroccan universities as a professor, including Cadi Ayyad University and Chouaib Doukkali University.
At the award ceremony, the Saudi university celebrated the Moroccan professor and his fellows, honoring the “outstanding efforts in the fields of scientific research, teaching, and online learning, in line with the university’s strategic vision to enhance the academic environment and support the Arab security system.”
In addition to Nafid, several Moroccan professors and teachers were honored on an international scale for their efforts, contributing to enhancing research, teaching, and learning.
In January, Messaoud Ariba, a Moroccan teacher, received an award at the Global Teacher Awards in New Delhi.
Ariba was the sole representative of both North Africa and the Arab world at large, earning recognition from thousands of applicants during the ceremony.
“For me, this is not just about personal achievement but about honoring the incredible work of all those shaping education in the country,” Ariba said.
In February, Moroccan professor Anasse Bari received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Faculty Award for 2025 at New York University. The award recognizes leadership work and commitment to justice and fairness.
In a statement to Morocco World News, Bari said he dedicates the award to his fellow Moroccans.
“Every day in my classroom, I encourage my students to use the skills they have learned at New York University to serve the world,” Bari said, noting that his students are finding “new ways” to use AI and data science to improve the world.
The Kingdom of Bahrain’s Heatwave exhibition , curated by architect Andrea Faraguna has been announced as the winner of the Golden Lion for the Best National Participation at the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.
The winner has been selected by an international jury comprising of Swiss curator, critic, and art historian Hans Ulrich Obrist as jury chair, South African architect, lecturer, and curator Mpho Matsipa, and Italian curator Paola Antonelli .
The awards ceremony is broadcast live from the headquarters of the Biennale at Ca’Giustinian. The pavilion stands out for addressing the pressing issue of extreme heat through a site-specific installation that showcases passive cooling strategies rooted in Bahrain’s climatic realities and cultural context.
The design of the pavilion explores passive cooling using geothermal wells and solar chimneys connected via a thermo-hygrometric axis, which links underground conditions to outdoor air. In exhibition settings where excavation isn’t possible, mechanical ventilation mimics this system. The modular structure features a floor and cantilevered ceiling supported by a central column, adaptable for various urban environments. The project highlights low-impact, climate-responsive design for outdoor workspaces in hot climates, emphasizing environmental responsibility, social fairness, and innovative architectural solutions.
The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement and the Special Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in Memoriam have been previously announced to be awarded to American philosopher Donna Haraway and the late Italian architect and designer Italo Rota (1953–2024), respectively. Donna Haraway is participating via remote connection to highlight the wider implications of this edition’s biennale. “Intelligence is a word that bubbles with meaning of the power of discerning,” she declares. The Golden Lion in Memoriam is awarded in absentia to Italo Rota.
Two special mentions have been awarded to participants in the international exhibition. The first one goes to Alternative Urbanism: The Central Organized Markets of Lagos by Tosin Oshinowo, Oshinowo Studio. “This award is for the Global South,” Oshinowo declares in her acceptance speech. The second special mention for a project of a participant goes to Elephant Chapel by Boonserm Premthada.
For the national pavilions, a special mention is awarded to Opera Aperta, the Holy See’s Pavilion by Paul Tighe of the Department of Education and Culture of the Holy See. The project is a “construction site, an ongoing process, which everyone is invited to collaborate.” The pavilion is curated by Marina Otero Verzier, curator and researcher, and Giovanna Zabotti, artistic director of Fondaco Italia and former curator of the Venice Pavilion, in collaboration with the design studios Tatiana Bilbao Estudio of Mexico City and MAIO Architects of Barcelona.
The other special mention goes to the Pavilion of Great Britain: GBR: Geology of Britannic Repair, commissioned by Sevra Davis of the British Council and curated by Owen Hopkins, Kathryn Yusoff, Kabage Karanja, Stella Mutegi. The selected team of expositors comprises experts from the UK and Kenya, including Nairobi–based Cave _bureau, aiming to open up difficult conversations about interconnected relationships between the two countries, decolonization, and the embedded relationships to the ground.
Golden Lion for Best Participant in the exhibition Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective
Golden Lion for Best Participant in the exhibition Intelligens. Natural. Artificial. Collective is awarded to Canal Café by Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Natural Systems Utilities, SODAI, Aaron Betsky, Davide Oldani. The installation is set up to use natural filtration systems to purify water from the city’s canals and make it info coffee that visitors of the Arsenale can enjoy.
