Doha, June 21 (QNA) - The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs, represented by the Sheikh Abdulla bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center, on Sunday launched the second edition of the Qatar International Arabic Calligraphy Competition (Al Raqim), in cooperation with Qatar Museums through the Museum of Islamic Art.

The launch was announced during a news conference held at the Sheikh Abdulla bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center and attended by HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Ghanem Al-Thani, along with senior officials, intellectuals, calligraphers and experts from across Qatar.

The organizing committee said the new edition would be more advanced and comprehensive, further strengthening the competition's standing as one of the leading international events dedicated to Arabic calligraphy. It noted that the prize pool, totaling QR 1 million, ranks among the highest in the world and is expected to attract some of the most accomplished calligraphers from around the globe.

The committee selected "mercy" as the central theme of this year's competition, reflecting a cultural awareness of the depth of the concept and its ability to highlight the values of Islam while conveying universal humanitarian messages that resonate across cultures. The theme also seeks to use art as a vehicle for promoting tolerance and human coexistence.

Through this theme, the competition aims to transform Arabic calligraphy from a visual art form into a civilizational message rooted in values, drawing inspiration from Quranic verses and Prophetic traditions that embody mercy and translating them into artistic works that combine creativity with deeper meaning.

In remarks during the news conference, Director of the Sheikh Abdulla bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center and chairman of the organizing committee, Dr. Saleh bin Ali Al Akhn Al Marri, said the second edition had undergone significant development based on a comprehensive evaluation of the inaugural competition and the lessons learned from it, enhancing both organizational and artistic aspects.

He described Al Raqim as an evolving cultural project that seeks to employ Arabic calligraphy as a civilizational medium combining the aesthetic beauty of the written word with the depth of Islamic values. He said the initiative aims to strengthen the global presence of Arabic calligraphy while highlighting Qatar's role in supporting Islamic arts and promoting the Arabic language.

Al Marri said the choice of "mercy" as the competition's central theme reflected a conscious effort to promote human values through art and present a contemporary visual discourse rooted in heritage while speaking to the world through the language of beauty. Such efforts, he said, help foster mutual understanding and coexistence among peoples.

Speaking to the Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Marri said the competition plays a pivotal role in identifying, nurturing and encouraging emerging talent in Arabic calligraphy, helping preserve and develop the art form for future generations. He noted that numerous local events representing different schools of Arabic calligraphy had been organized, along with intensive training courses aimed at encouraging young people to take an interest in the discipline.

He added that exhibitions held both in Qatar and abroad had highlighted the importance of Arabic calligraphy in enriching cultural and civilizational life, while reinforcing Qatar's standing as a center for Islamic arts and intellectual creativity.

Al Marri also said the partnership with Qatar Museums, represented by the Museum of Islamic Art, provides strategic support through its cultural and scholarly resources, helping raise the artistic standards of the competition and strengthening participants' connection to the heritage of Islamic art within a framework of institutional cooperation in service of culture.

He said Al Raqim is guided by a vision that balances adherence to the classical rules of Arabic calligraphy with a measured openness to contemporary artistic experimentation, creating a professional space for creative expression while preserving the art form's identity and traditions.

The competition's prize fund of more than QR 1 million, he added, reflects Qatar's commitment to supporting Arabic calligraphy and attracting artists from around the world. He said the competition has evolved into an international platform that contributes to building a specialized artistic and scholarly community focused on advancing the field and exploring its future.

Al Marri said the competition forms part of a broader range of cultural initiatives dedicated to preserving and promoting the Arabic language, as the language of the Quran and a cornerstone of Islamic identity, while also serving as a bridge for cultural exchange through the universal language of art.

He noted that holding the competition every two years allows for broad participation by calligraphers from around the world, both men and women over the age of 18, helping expand the pool of participants, discover new creative talent and encourage artistic competition in the field.

Al Marri expressed pride in the Sheikh Abdulla bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center's role in promoting the Arabic language, teaching it to non-native speakers, introducing Islamic culture and supporting the art of Arabic calligraphy. He said the competition represents an extension of those efforts within a comprehensive vision aimed at serving the Noble Quran, preserving Islamic artistic heritage and developing talent.

Director of the Museum of Islamic Art, Shaika Nasser Al Nassr, said the museum's participation in the Qatar International Arabic Calligraphy Competition (Al Raqim) reflects its mission to preserve Islamic heritage and strengthen its presence on the global cultural stage.

She said Arabic calligraphy is one of the most prominent expressions of Islamic art, carrying aesthetic and intellectual dimensions that reflect the richness of Islamic civilization and its historical continuity.

Al Nassr added that the art form serves as a central element in Islamic cultural expression, given its ability to combine aesthetic values with intellectual meaning, making it an effective medium for conveying civilizational identity and highlighting the diversity of its artistic schools across different eras.

She said cooperation with the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, represented by the Sheikh Abdulla bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center, represents an advanced model of institutional integration in support of Islamic culture and the Arabic language, as well as the promotion of civilizational values through high-impact cultural initiatives that reinforce Qatar's position as a leading hub for arts and culture.

Al Nassr added that the partnership goes beyond an organizational framework to form an integrated knowledge platform that allows participants to engage with leading artistic experiences and benefit from specialized expertise, helping them develop their skills and refine their creative abilities on solid professional and methodological foundations.

She said the Museum of Islamic Art places particular emphasis on supporting initiatives dedicated to Arabic calligraphy, given its central status within Islamic arts and its role in showcasing the aesthetics of Islamic civilization, making the Al Raqim competition a priority within the museum's cultural agenda.

Al Nassr noted that the competition serves as an active platform for cultural exchange and for highlighting the diversity of Arabic calligraphy, reflecting the richness of the Islamic civilizational experience and contributing to strengthening Qatar's position as a global center for arts and culture. She expressed the museum's pride in participating in one of Qatar's most prominent cultural competitions.

She also said cooperation between national institutions contributes to the development of pioneering cultural projects with international impact, in line with Qatar's vision of building a cultural environment that supports creativity and enhances its standing as a global hub for thought and the arts, while empowering talent, particularly young people, to engage constructively with cultural and civilizational challenges.

The competition employs a professional judging system supervised by leading calligraphers and international adjudicators, based on precise criteria ensuring integrity and quality, including execution, correctness of rules, artistic composition, and innovation.

The competition includes five main categories in Arabic calligraphy: Naskh Script, Thuluth Jeli Script, Diwani Jeli Script, Nasta'liq Script, and Muhaqqaq Script. The organizing committee has set strict conditions to ensure the quality of submissions, most notably originality, adherence to artistic rules, and freedom from linguistic errors.

The organizers have made available a dedicated website for participants to review competition rules, prizes, calligraphy styles, and approved texts: www.alraqim.qa.

The launch of the second edition of Al Raqim comes as part of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs' 2025-2030 strategic plan, which translates the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 into practice. The initiative contributes to its pillars, particularly human and cultural development, by strengthening national identity, promoting values, and supporting culture as a key component of sustainable development. (QNA)