ABU DHABI, 18th August, 2026 (WAM) -- The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has received 57 submissions from photographers of 24 nationalities for the inaugural edition of ‘The Image as Witness’ competition, which focuses on Qasr Al Hosn.
The Winners will be announced at the 35th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, scheduled to take place from 13 to 18 September 2026.
The Centre launched the competition to establish the image as part of its cultural projects, enhance the role of visual media in supporting the publishing industry, and develop modern Arabic content infrastructure. ‘The Image as Witness’ seeks to expand the scope content by employing photographs as a tool for documentation and expression, thereby enriching the Emirati cultural narrative and giving it greater depth.
His Excellency Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the ALC, said: “‘The Image as Witness’ initiative aligns with the strategic role that the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre plays in spearheading efforts to strengthen the authorship and publishing movement. The Centre seeks to expand the concept of the text to encompass the image as a parallel visual narrative capable of producing, preserving, and circulating knowledge.”
“The remarkable turnout reflects the importance of the competition and its role in encouraging creative photographers and highlighting the cultural and historical value of Qasr Al Hosn, Abu Dhabi’s oldest landmark, which, for decades, has stood as a symbol of leadership, heritage, and national identity,” H.E. Al Tunaiji explained.
Candidates could participate in the competition in one of four categories: Documentary Photography (Qasr Al Hosn Architecture), Monochrome Photography (Black and White), Light and Shadow, and Digital Editing.
As part of the 35th edition of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, the Centre is organising a special programme for the competition, featuring the announcement of the first edition winners, as well as panel discussions on the role of the image in documenting and preserving collective memory and cultural seminars on presenting the image’s narrative in a contemporary creative language.
In addition. there will also be an exhibition of historical and contemporary photographs in the Arts Corner, documenting the journey of Qasr Al Hosn and its cultural and urban evolution. The programme will also include the publication of a documentary book featuring selected photographs from the entries submitted to the competition.
‘The Image as Witness’ initiative also supports the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre’s vision to nurture an ambitious and creative generation in various cultural and artistic fields, reflecting the Centre’s commitment to engaging various segments of the community in the competition, in line with the UAE leadership’s declaration of 2026 as the ‘Year of Family’.