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The 7th El-Gouna Film Festival ended with the awards announced during the closing ceremony on 1 November.
El-Gouna Golden Star award went to Ghost Trail, a thriller about a Syrian refugee in France. Check all awards below.
International competition
El-Gouna Golden Star award for best narrative film Ghost Trail (France) by Jonathan Millet
The film follows Hamid, who “joins a secret group tracking Syrian regime leaders on the run. His mission takes him to France, pursuing his former torturer for a fateful confrontation,” reads the synopsis on IMDb.
El-Gouna Silver Star The Kingdom (France) by Julien Colonna
El-Gouna Bronze Star Girls Will be Girls (India) by Shuchi Talati won the Fipresci Award.
Best actor Adam Bessa for his performance in Ghost Trail (France) by Jonathan Millet
Best actress Laura Weissmahr for her performance in Salve Maria (Spain) by Mar Coll
Best Arab narrative feature – shared award – Thank You For Banking With Us! (Palestine) by Laila Abbas – Who Do I Belong To (Tunisia) by Meryam Joobeur
Jury special mention Actor Charles Peccia Galletto for his performance in My Everything by Anne-Sophie Bailly
Documentary competition
El-Gouna Golden Star We Are Inside (Lebanon) by Farah Kassem
El-Gouna Silver Star Soundtrack To A Coup d’Etat (Belgium) by Johan Grimonprez
El-Gouna Bronze Star A New Kind Of Wilderness (Norway) by Silje Evensmo Jacobsen
Best Arab documentary feature – shared award – The Brink Of Dreams (Egypt) by Nada Riyadh and Ayman El Amir – My Memory Is Full Of Ghosts (Syria) by Anas Zawahri
Other awards
Fipresci award Girls Will be Girls (India) by Shuchi Talati Cinema for Humanity award Disorder (Lebanon) by Lucien Bourjeily, Bane Fakih, Wissam Charaf, and Areej Mahmoud.
The NetPac award We Are Inside (Lebanon) by Farah Kassem
El Gouna Green Star award The Battle For Laikipia (Kenya) by Peter Murimi and Daphne Matziaraki
The Saudi initiative “Arab Week at UNESCO” has enabled 22 participating Arab countries to showcase their rich cultural heritage in a welcoming platform that fosters Arab and international cultural and civilizational work. The initiative contributes to the development of education, culture, and science at both regional and global levels.
For Arab Week, which was organized for the first time in the history of Arab countries’ cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science exerted significant efforts to support the participants’ presentations and highlight the harmony between the diverse cultures of the Arab world. The event marks a celebration of the Arab world’s rich cultural heritage through various literature and art.
The participating countries expressed their gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for providing a broad platform for intercultural dialogue, which promotes global dialogue and peace and encourages the exchange of knowledge and expertise in various fields.
The event included several seminars: the Arabic language, Arabic calligraphy, Arabic literature, artificial intelligence (AI), education, visual arts, intangible cultural heritage, and world heritage. The activities also included four exhibitions: Arab culture, Arabic calligraphy, photographs of heritage sites in the Arab World, and Arab cultural products.
The AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Local Organising Committee (LOC) has received several awards for a historic edition of the continental championship.
Both Qatar Tourism and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) recognised the achievements made by Qatar in hosting the tournament earlier this year.
The LOC received two Qatar Tourism Awards for Premier Sports Events of the Year and Accessibility Initiative of the Year.
The awards were presented to the LOC by Qatar Tourism and Visit Qatar Chairman Saad bin Ali al-Kharji, UN Tourism Executive Director Natalia Bayona, and Regional Director (Middle East) Basma al-Mayman.
At the AFC Annual Awards, the Qatar Football Association (QFA) received the AFC Asian Cup Host Appreciation Award for the tremendous role they played in delivering a memorable tournament.
The Award was presented by Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifah, AFC President, to Jassim Rashid al-Buenain, QFA President.
The AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 was hosted by Qatar in the beginning of 2024, having previously organised the competition twice before, in 1988 and 2011. The tournament, which saw Qatar defend its title on home soil, broke records for overall attendance, digital engagement and press coverage.
A total of 86,492 spectators made their way to the iconic Lusail Stadium for the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 final.
With that, a record-breaking attendance of 1,509,496 fans was registered for the tournament, surpassing the previous attendance record of 1.04mn set during the 2004 edition hosted by China.
source/content: gulf-times.com (headline edited)
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The AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Local Organising Committee received two Qatar Tourism Awards for Premier Sports Events of the Year and Accessibility Initiative of the Year. The awards were presented to the LOC by Qatar Tourism and Visit Qatar Chairman Saad bin Ali al-Kharji.
A Saudi has sent to the Guinness World Records what is believed to be the world’s largest stamps collection.
Reda Shaib, a philatelist, started the project two years ago in Al-Ahsa.
“Shaib’s collection contains 1.1 million different Saudi stamps,” Mohsin Hassan Al-Shaikh, adviser to the Saudi Philatelic and Numismatics Society (SPNS), said. The collection includes stamps issued since the Kingdom was founded, he said.
He said that Shaib took every opportunity to ask people he met to support the project, adding that It would be a matter of great pride for the Kingdom to enter into the Guinness World Records.
Part of Shaib’s collection was shown to visitors at the King Fahd Cultural Complex, where the Ministry of Culture and Information marked the Saudi National Day by organizing an exhibition of books and pictures about Saudi Arabia.
Al-Shaikh thanked Shaib for including SPNS members in his project, making them feel an increased sense of belonging to the organization.
He said that a US collector had earlier come up with a similar project consisting of 500,000 stamps.
Morocco has a total of 54 registered intangible cultural heritage elements on the ISESCO list.
The Islamic Heritage Committee, part of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), has approved the inclusion of eight intangible cultural heritage elements on behalf of Morocco.
According to a statement by the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, the newly added elements encompass the artistry of crafting bead jewelry, the weaving of Figuig’s hayek and burnous, traditional tanning techniques, Mata’s equestrian art, Safi pottery, Attalbi, Aouad d’Ait Baamrane songs and dances, and the traditional Ssig game.
This recognition celebrates Morocco’s rich tradition of skilled craftsmanship in the creation of bead jewelry.
The hayek and bernous are traditional Moroccan garments worn by women. They are especially worn in the country’s oriental region, notably in Figuig.
The traditional tanning process in Morocco, known as “Dbagha,” describes the centuries-old art of tanning animal hides, which has been practiced since the Almohad dynasty in the 12th century.
Meanwhile, Mata’s equestrian art showcases a blend of horsemanship and cultural expression.
Also on the list is the pottery tradition of the Moroccan coastal city of Safi, known for its intricate and colorful pottery art.
ISESCO also recognized Aouad d’Ait Baamrane’s songs and dances, which bring to life the rhythm and melodies of Amazigh culture.
Meanwhile, the traditional Ssig game, which is widely popular in Morocco’s southern regions, is a key part of Morocco’s culture that has endured through time.
With this latest inclusion that took place in the ISESCO committee’s 11th meeting in Rabat, Morocco now leads Muslim countries. The North African country boasts a total of 54 registered intangible cultural heritage elements on the ISESCO list.
During the meeting, the Committee also elected a new executive board for a four-year term, with Saudi Arabia assuming the presidency, Jordan as vice president, and Senegal as the rapporteur.
Arabic and French experts this week underlined the importance of learning languages to enhance intellectual and cultural communication.
At an event in France to mark Arabic Language Month, they noted how, without the Arabic language, the world would not have been able to access a significant portion of the intellectual heritage of Greek philosophers, as well as mathematics and sciences from ancient times.
Hamdi Al-Adawi, professor of linguistics at Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University, described the role of language in expressing a person’s inner thoughts and feelings, and described the historical interplay between Arabic and French.
“The Arabic language has played a vital role towards affirming the role of Islam in enhancing communication between different civilizations, blending civilizations, and fostering the exchange of cultures,” he told Arab News.
Al-Adawi noted that the convergence of certain words, concepts and meanings between languages is key to accepting other cultures and coexisting peacefully with them.
He also said that there are many shared terms among languages, which encourages leveraging these similarities to understand the commonalities between these languages and their cultural connotation.
Al-Adawi concluded that the cultural exchange between the Arabic and French languages is tangible and well documented.
Some examples include the Belgian orientalist Henri Lammens, who identified more than 700 Arabic words in his French-language writings in the early 20th century, and the French writer Pierre Giraud who acknowledged the influence of Arabic on the French language, providing a list of 280 Arabic words that were used in French during different periods.
Jack Lang, the secretary-general of the Arab World Institute, said that “the Arabic language is music, and it is a global language.” He noted that it ranks fifth among the most spoken languages in the world.
“We cannot ignore the fact that the Arabic language has served as a bridge for communication between peoples. Without the Arabic language, we would not have been able to access a significant portion of Greek philosophers, nor mathematics and sciences from ancient times,” he said.
Lang, who is a former French minister of education, highlighted the efforts being made by Saudi Arabia to preserve the Arabic language, saying that the Kingdom was “moving towards exerting a considerable cultural effort.”
He added that he currently observes “large cultural events happening throughout Saudi Arabia.”
He also praised Saudi Arabia’s role in assisting other countries in their commitment to the Arabic language through the Arab World Institute, which is based in Paris.
Lang noted the intention to establish a House of the Arabic Language in France, in collaboration with King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language.
KSGAAL launched Arabic Language Month in France on Oct. 7, in collaboration with the Arab World Institute.
Events included a seminar, a panel discussion and a scientific competition focused on the art of diction, with participation from several contestants.
Abdullah Al-Washmi, secretary-general of KSGAAL, said that the academy is active in various fields to promote the Arabic language, locally and globally.
The academy launched the Arabic Language Month program in France, which aimed to display KSGAAL activities related to teaching Arabic to non-native speakers and to highlight the Kingdom’s efforts in serving the Arabic language and its sciences worldwide.
Additionally, the academy is working to offer training programs to enhance teachers’ competencies and improve Arabic language learning outcomes for students, in line with the objectives of the Human Capability Development Program, one of the initiatives under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by interested individuals and intellectuals, led by the Kingdom’s ambassador to France, Fahad Al-Ruwaili.
KSGAAL will continue the activities of Arabic Language Month in France on Nov. 1, featuring tours in several French cities in collaboration with French and international educational institutions.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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The Arabic Language Month in France featured several linguistic competitions. The awards were presented by Fahad Al-Ruwaili, Saudi Ambassador to France, Jack Lang, Secretary-General of the Arab Institute in France, and Abdullah Al-Washmi, Secretary-General of King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language (from the right: the first, the third and fourth respectively)A group photo of the participants in the Arabic Language Month in France, which commenced on Monday, shows the Saudi ambassador in the second row from the left, sixth from the group
The Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, announced the designation of Rabat (Morocco) as World Book Capital for 2026, based on the recommendation of the World Book Capital Advisory Committee.
“ Following Rio de Janeiro in 2025, I am pleased to announce the designation of Rabat as World Book Capital for 2026. Rabat is a cultural crossroads where books help transmit knowledge and the arts in all their diversity. The growing local book industry is also playing a crucial role in advancing education. These actions resonate with UNESCO’s mandate.
Audrey AzoulayUNESCO Director-General
With 54 publishing houses, the third largest international book and publishing fair in Africa and a growing number of bookstores, Rabat’s book industry is not only a vital part of the city’s creative economy but also at the forefront of democratizing knowledge.
UNESCO and the World Book Capital Advisory Committee have recognized Rabat for its clear commitment to literary development, the empowerment of women and youth through reading and the fight against illiteracy, especially among underserved communities.
As World Book Capital for 2026, Rabat will roll out a series of initiatives with the aim of fostering sustainable economic growth and social benefits by enhancing access to books and supporting the local publishing industry. In particular, the city will launch a major initiative to reinforce literacy of all its citizens.
The year of celebrations will start on 23 April 2026, on World Book and Copyright Day.
About the world book capitals
Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital undertake to promote books and reading for all ages and groups, within and across national borders, and to organize a programme of activities for the year.
As the twenty-sixth city to bear the title since 2001, Rabat follows Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogota (2007), Amsterdam (2008), Beirut (2009), Ljubljana (2010), Buenos Aires (2011), Erevan (2012), Bangkok (2013), Port Harcourt (2014), Incheon (2015), Wroclaw (2016), Conakry (2017), Athens (2018), Sharjah, (2019), Kuala Lumpur (2020), Tbilisi (2021), Guadalajara (2022), Accra (2023), Strasbourg (2024) and Rio de Janeiro (2025).
The UNESCO World Book Capital Advisory Committee comprises representatives of European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), the International Authors Forum (IAF), the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), the International Publishers Association (IPA), and UNESCO.
With 194 Member States, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization contributes to peace and security by leading multilateral cooperation on education, science, culture, communication and information. Headquartered in Paris, UNESCO has offices in 54 countries and employs over 2300 people. UNESCO oversees more than 2000 World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks; networks of Creative, Learning, Inclusive and Sustainable Cities; and over 13 000 associated schools, university chairs, training and research institutions. Its Director-General is Audrey Azoulay.
“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed” – UNESCO Constitution, 1945.
The works consist of 19 volumes, encompassing the writings of the historian as well as his summaries and correspondences, shedding light on his time.
Prince Faisal bin Salman, chairman of the board of directors of the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives, inaugurated the launch ceremony of the complete works of Saudi historian Ibrahim bin Saleh bin Issa on Wednesday at Darah headquarters.
These works consist of 19 volumes, encompassing the writings of the historian as well as his summaries and correspondences, shedding light on his time.
Speaking on behalf of his family Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, secretary-general of the Muslim World League, expressed the family’s gratitude and appreciation to Darah (the foundation) for this honor, which celebrates their ancestor’s scholarly legacy.
He said that the publication documents the historian’s long academic journey, characterized by precision and objectivity in various scientific fields.
He also expressed the family’s pride that this work will serve as an important reference for researchers and those interested in Saudi history and culture.
Furthermore, he praised the tremendous efforts made by Darah in realizing this monumental project, noting that this recognition reflects the significance of knowledge in strengthening national identity.
The work on the project took several years and went through numerous stages, involving a team of about 20 people, said Dr. Fahd Al-Samari, secretary-general of Darah.
Al-Samari told Arab News: “The project followed a clear methodology, where we gathered as much of the heritage of historian Ibrahim bin Issa as possible and conducted a thorough investigation.”
Given the project’s scale and the diversity of fields covered, which include religious, historical, linguistic and geographical arts, several specialized committees were formed for the project, including the supervisory committee, the text editing and verification committee, and the manuscript and document collection committee, Al-Samari added.
Bin Issa relied on more than 700 sources for his work, including 570 manuscripts and documents from across the Kingdom, while the remaining sources were distributed between Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, and the US.
Bin Issa was born in 1854 in Ushaiger town, 200 kilometers northwest of Riyadh, and lived for about 71 years. He was a scholar, historian and genealogist, and one of the most prominent historians of the Najd region.
Al-Samari pointed out that Darah was established to fulfill a noble mission, which is to serve the history of Saudi Arabia, its geography, and its intellectual literature, as well as to collect various historical sources, including documents related to the Kingdom, classify them, and enrich the historical library with scientific research.
Darah has devoted special attention to the prominent figures of the Kingdom, honoring their rights, highlighting achievements, celebrating contributions, appreciating efforts, and acknowledging their glory.
“Since establishment, Saudi Arabia has sought to make knowledge the foundation for building the state. Under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom has witnessed a comprehensive renaissance in all fields, with the most significant being in the areas of national heritage,” Al-Samari concluded.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Prince Faisal bin Salman, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Darah, is seen in a group photo with several descendants of historian Ibn Issa on Wednesday evening in Riyadh.
Boasting an attendance of 16,000 people, including Nobel laureates in literature, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture concluded its ninth annual Iqra competition on Saturday.
Amin Nasser, Saudi Aramco’s president and CEO, and other senior officials attended the two-day event in Dhahran.
Nobel literature laureates Abdulrazak Gurnah and Olga Tokarczuk were also present and offered insights during speaking sessions.
Visitors experienced a series of activities, culminating in the announcement of the competition’s winners.
Moroccan Meryem Bououd was awarded Reader of the Year, while 10-year-old Moroccan Fatima Kettani won the Promising Reader prize.
Iraqi Hira Karkhi secured the Text of the Year prize, while the Reading School award went to Tarbiyat Al-Ajial of the Private International School, Hafr Al-Batin, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Safia Al-Ghubari claimed the People’s Reader award, while teacher Najla Ghazi Al-Suhaimi took home the Reading Ambassador prize.
Noura Al-Zamil, Ithra’s program director, spoke of the competition’s significant milestones since its inception in 2013.
Over nine editions Iqra has attracted more than 225,000 applicants and offered 48,000 hours of educational programming.
It has also engaged more than 600 speakers from 30 countries, bringing three Nobel Prize-winning authors to its stage.
Al-Zamil stressed Ithra’s continued efforts to innovate, introducing new elements like the Iqra Travels, Iqra Marathon, and Kitabiya Exhibit, to foster a reading culture among Arab youngsters.
The closing event featured cultural sessions, including a talk by Tokarczuk, who discussed literature as a tool for bridging languages and cultures.
Discussing the future, Tokarczuk expressed both optimism and caution, adding: “I embrace modern tools like ChatGPT but remain concerned about their potential misuse.”
Gurnah, reflecting on his roots, said: “Zanzibar will always be my true homeland, despite my long absence.”
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Boasting an attendance of 16,000 people, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture concluded its ninth annual Iqra competition on Saturday. (Supplied)
Egypt bids farewell to the guard of Semsemya, Zakaria Ibrahim.
For the past 44 years, Zakaria Ibrahim or “El-Rayes” (meaning the chief) had played and safeguarded the heritage music of his hometown Port Said through the Port Said Folk Heritage Troupe, which he established in 1980.
In an interview with Ahram Online, Ibrahim previously said that his initial approach relied on the sounds of the Semsemya musical instrument. Five years later, he reintroduced the ancient Tanboura instrument, a larger predecessor and origin of the Semsemya, dating back to ancient Egyptians. Consequently, he rebranded his ensemble as Al-Tanboura.
“We the Bamboteya, no one is like us, merchant boatmen in the canal” the troupe sang about the Semsemya’s affiliation with the history of trade on the Port Said marina. Small boats, called ManBoats, moored offshore, and sold goods to passing vessels, using sign language in trading. This language is the foundation of the heritage dance affiliated with Semsemya.
To safeguard and revive heritage music, beyond Semsemya, Ibrahim co-founded the Mastaba Centre for Egyptian Folk Music in 2000. Documenting and archiving traditional Egyptian songs, music, and musical instruments, as well as the voices and history of Egyptian music were among the centre’s main goals.
He also established El-Damma theatre in Abdeen district, Cairo, where heritage troupes played for years on a weekly basis. El Damma means coming closer, and it was a social ritual in Port Said where people would come together and sing their heritage songs and play the Semsemya.
