PHOTOGRAPHY HIPA Celebrates the Winners of the 5th Season at the Grand Ceremony

HIPA Grand Ceremony was an amazing spectacle located at the Burj Park. With Burj Khalifa as its backdrop, the program included inspiring performances before the announcement of the winners for each category. HIPA has once again proven its place as one of the largest photography award in the world. The importance of this competition goes beyond bringing the awareness to the art of photography, by raising the bar of excellence through education and humanitarian projects.

HIPA Grand Ceremony at the Burj Park with Burj Khalifa in the background / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Opening the HIPA Grand Ceremony the Secretary General of HIPA His Excellency Ali bin Thalith said "Today, we celebrate with you the conclusion of the HIPA fifth season of competition, themed ‘Happiness’. We hope that we were able to open a new page filled with happiness throughout the past year using our many visual and educational photography courses and programs. Through the directions of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council and Patron of HIPA we have worked tirelessly to read the minds of photographers around the world and turn their aspirations into reality."

His Excellency Ali bin Thalith / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Ali bin Thalith added "After 5 years of establishing HIPA, we have successfully reached photographers from 193 countries around the world, which is the exact number of registered states at the United Nations. This past season, HIPA received a total of 80,420 photographs from 32,712 photographers hailing from 173 countries around the world. It must be noted that 66% of participants this season have taken part in the competition for the very first time."

His Excellency Ali bin Thalith / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

The photographs have been submitted to four categories, including 'Wildlife', 'Father and Son', 'General', and the main theme 'Happiness'. Antonio Aragon Renuncio, a Spanish photographer, won this year’s HIPA Grand Prize of $120,000 by capturing the moment when young boys play with old tyres in a village in Togo.

Next to the four categories there were also two Special Awards presented: ‘Photography Appreciation Award’ to Egyptian born Canadian photographer, Oscar Mitri and The ‘Photography Research/Report’ Award to veteran British photographer and author, Don McCullin.

HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the awards along with HE Abdulrahman Al Owais, UAE Minister of Health and Prevention and Chairman of the HIPA Board of Trustees; Ohoud Khalfan Al Roumi, UAE Minister of State for Happiness, and HE Saeed Al Nabouda, the acting Director General of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and HIPA Board of Trustees Vice Chairman.

HIPA Grand Ceremony Highlights

HIPA Grand Ceremony / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Performance announcing 'General category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Performance announcing 'General category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Performance announcing 'General category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Maggie Steber, the fifth season's jury member, announcing the winners of General category / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HE Saeed Al Nabouda, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presents the award to Zhiqiang Zhang - China, the 4th Place Winner of General category / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HE Saeed Al Nabouda, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presents the award to Vladimir Viatkin - Russian Federation, the 3rd Place Winner of General category / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HE Saeed Al Nabouda, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presents the award to Sandra Hoyn - Germany, the 2nd Place Winner of General category / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Performance announcing 'Father and Son' category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Phillip Block, the fifth season's jury member, announcing the winners of 'Father and Son' category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Ohoud Khalfan Al Roumi, UAE Minister of State for Happiness, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presents the award to Mihailo Simovic - Serbia, the 3rd Place Winner of 'Father and Son' category / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Ohoud Khalfan Al Roumi, UAE Minister of State for Happiness, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presents the award to Musa Talaşli - Turkey, the 2nd Place Winner of 'Father and Son' category / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Ohoud Khalfan Al Roumi, UAE Minister of State for Happiness, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presents the award to Khaled Alsabbah - Palestine, the 1st Place Winner of 'Father and Son' category / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Performance announcing 'Wildlife' category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Performance announcing 'Wildlife' category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Performance announcing 'Wildlife' category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

'Wildlife' category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

L-R: David Maitland, the fifth season's jury member; HE Abdulrahman Al Owais, HE Ali bin Thalith / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HE Abdulrahman Al Owais, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presented the award to Fabian Berg - Germany, the 5th Place Winner of 'Wildlife' category / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HE Abdulrahman Al Owais, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presents the award to Minming Lin - China, the 3rd Place Winner of 'Wildlife' category / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HE Abdulrahman Al Owais, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presents the award to Lynn Emery - United Kingdom, the 2nd Place Winner of 'Wildlife' category / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Performance announcing 'Happiness' category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Performance announcing 'Happiness' category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Performance announcing 'Happiness' category' / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Special Awards announcement / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presented ‘Photography Appreciation Award’ to Oscar Mitri / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presented ‘Photography Research/Report’ Award to Don McCullin / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presented the award to Manar Gad - Egypt, the 5th Place Winner of 'Happiness' category; left: Michael Yamashita, the jury member / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presented the award to Omar Ahmed - United Arab Emirates, the 4th Place Winner of 'Happiness' category; left: Michael Yamashita, the jury member / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presented the award to Hameed Husain Isa - Bahrain, the 1st Place Winner of 'Happiness' category; left: Michael Yamashita, the jury member / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Grand Prize announcement / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

HH Shaikh Mansour Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, accompanied by HE Ali bin Thalith, presented the award to Antonio Aragon Renuncio - Spain, the Grand Prize Winner; left: Michael Yamashita, the jury member / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Grand Prize / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Group photo / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) / Photo © Islamic Arts Magazine

From March 16-19, 2016 at the Dubai Design District (d3) HIPA will present also the Dubai Photo Exhibition, consisting of over 700 iconic photographs from the early days of photography until now, including what is widely believed to be the first portrait photograph ever captured, dating to 1840.

Stay tuned as we bring more coverage from the event, the winners and the Dubai Photo Exhibition.