ICCROM announces Jury of Arab Cultural Heritage Award for Young

The Award, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, is the first competition of its kind that focuses on arts, heritage, and sustainable development and primarily targets the youths in the Arab region. The biannual Award is organized by the ICCROM Regional Centre in Sharjah, in cooperation with the National Commissions for UNESCO, schools, and educational institutions in the Arab Region, under the title 'Our heritage brings us together.'

ICCROM is proud to announce the distinguished members of the jury committee who will oversee the selection process for this year's Arab Cultural Heritage Award for the Young:

Aisha Deemas, Director General of Sharjah Museums Authority since June 2023. She formerly held the Director of Executive Affairs position at Sharjah Museums Authority, where she participated in long-term planning and overall management of the services provided to all Sharjah museums under SMA. She holds an MBA and a Bachelor's in International Studies from the American University of Sharjah. She has 15+ years of experience in museum management.

Ayman Othman Al Barout, Secretary-General of the Arab Parliament for the Child (APC). He also works as a Parliamentary Affairs Advisor at the General Secretariat of the Consultative Council of Sharjah and as a Senior Researcher at the General Secretariat of the Federal National Council. He holds an Executive Master's in Public Administration from the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of

Government and a Bachelor's in Political Science from the United Arab Emirates University.

Abdulhamid Mohammed Al Yassi has been the director of the Youth Development Department at Sharjah Youth, part of Rubu' Qarn for creating future leaders and innovators since 2019. He holds a master’s degree in strategic human resource management and has more than 19 years of work experience. He currently oversees the design of programs that contribute to developing youth skills (ages 13 to 18) in various areas such as arts, literature and languages, science and technology, sports, and life skills through the eight Sharjah Youth Centres.

Dr. Noha Hilal Farran, Lebanese Historian, researcher, and academic and founder of the "Thinking Art Project," is dedicated to documenting artistic and cultural heritage. Editor-in-Chief of Al Tashkeel magazine, published by the Emirates Fine Arts Society with support from the Sharjah Department of Culture. She holds a Ph.D. in Art and Science of Arts with honors, a Master's in Visual Arts, a Master's in Philosophy and Art History, a Postgraduate Diploma in Art and Design, and a Bachelor's in Material Science and Engineering.

Mr. Hamid Khalfan Al Kindi is a certified international evaluator for institutional and individual excellence programs. He holds a master's degree in police administration with honors and is preparing for a doctorate degree. He has chaired many evaluation and arbitration committees in excellence programs and is a certified lecturer in leadership and institutional excellence.

This esteemed panel of experts, with their diverse academic backgrounds and extensive experience in the fields of arts, cultural heritage preservation, and management, recently convened to review all the entries submitted for the Award and select the winners in the four main categories: drawing, folkloric dance, awareness film, and photography. The winners will be officially announced at a special ceremony later this month in Sharjah. Additionally, training workshops in arts, photography, and directing will be held for all first, second, and third place winners in each category before the announcement ceremony.

The Arab Cultural Heritage Award for the Young was first held in 2020 to raise awareness about the importance of preserving cultural heritage in the Arab region, spread the culture of safeguarding heritage through art, urge students to visit archaeological sites and translate their ideas about the concept of sustainable development and how to apply and enhance it through the arts.

Over the years, the Award has recognized and celebrated the remarkable achievements of young individuals and schools who have significantly contributed to preserving and promoting Arab cultural heritage. Past winners have showcased their dedication, creativity, and innovative approaches, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.