ABU DHABI, 17th September, 2026 (WAM) -- The Art Corner of the 35th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF 2026), organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), the photographers taking part in ‘The Image as Witness’ competition switched off their cameras and waited for the winners to be announced and honoured.
The competition brought together 57 creative contestants from 24 different nationalities, all of whom focused on Qasr Al Hosn, the theme selected by the Centre for this year’s competition. The initiative aims to support the art of photography, encourage ambitious creative minds, discover new talent, and highlight the role of photography as a form of cultural documentation that complements the written word, while strengthening its presence in the cultural and intellectual sectors.
Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the ALC and Director of the ADIBF, honoured the winners of the competition, which featured four categories. Riyas Kader of India won the Documentary Photography Category (Qasr Al Hosn Architecture), while Charlie Villagracia from the Philippines won the Monochrome Photography Category (Black & White). Moreover, Sudanese photographer Mohamed Alsamany won the Light and Shadow Category, and Beno Saradzic of Slovenia won the Digital Editing Category.
He said, “Honouring the winners of ‘The Image as Witness’ competition marks the launch of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre’s cultural strategy, through which it seeks to broaden the concept of the text, positioning visual expression as an equal partner in knowledge creation and the preservation of collective memory. This, in turn, supports the modern publishing industry and enriches the Emirati cultural narrative.”
The strong response to the competition reflected the ALC’s commitment to engaging different segments of society, in line with the UAE leadership’s declaration of 2026 as the ‘Year of Family’. The choice of Qasr Al Hosn for this edition was equally significant: as Abu Dhabi’s oldest and most prominent landmarks, it has stood for decades as a symbol of leadership, heritage, and national identity.