Outstanding HIPA Grand Event Ceremony in Dubai

The HIPA Grand Event Ceremony in Dubai presented stunning photography by top artists and a spectacular programme from the Third Season 2013-2014 within the next categories: Creating the Future, General, Black and White and Street Life, as well as the Grand Prize and the Special Awards for important contribution to photography.

The Grand Event 'Creating the Future' took place on March 17, 2014, at the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC). The Ceremony was attended by HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and the Patron of the Award, HH Ali Khalifa bin Thalith, the Secretary General of HIPA, HE Saeed Al Nabooda, the Acting Director General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority & HIPA Vice Chairman and many honoured guests.

HH Ali Khalifa bin Thalith, the Secretary General of HIPA / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

HH Ali Khalifa bin Thalith, the Secretary General of HIPA said "We meet today, only minutes away from closing the Third Edition of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award â€“ the award that was conceived to promote the art of photography by embracing all talents and creative minds in the field from around the world, thus creating a database for the largest global community of photographers.

Today, as we celebrate with you the conclusion of the Awardâ€™s Creating the Future edition, we are extremely proud and gratified to see this edition yet again raising the bar for challenges notwithstanding the big success it achieved in the two earlier editions.

These achievements have been inspired by a wise leadership that has made the "impossible" merely a point of view; a leadership that has catapulted the new generations into the heights of innovation, made them bring the best in them and transform their ideas into facts that put them at the forefront of leadership in various fields." "The number of entries the Award received in all categories reached 38,203 photographs submitted by 26,006 photographers from 156 countries."

HIPA, an internationally renowned photography competition promoting Dubaiâ€™s vision of artistic and cultural excellence has attracted some of the worldâ€™s most talented photographers, with the largest grand prize award in photography worth US $120,000. The Award appeals to all talented photographers across the globe, and also nurtures national talent. The Award highlights Dubai as one of the most artistically conscious and established cities in the world.

At the Ceremony we had a chance to see a short film showing HIPA team visiting Syrian children in the Emirati-Jordanian Camp (EJC) for refugees in Jordan in November 2013 to offer photography training and workshops for the children inside the camp and inspire them to take up the art form in their new home. The children were also presented with new cameras and were encouraged to continue with a new passion in their spare time.

Syrian children in the Emirati-Jordanian Camp (EJC) for refugees in Jordan / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Highlights from the HIPA Grand Event Ceremony

Entertainment at the HIPA Grand Event / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

GENERAL CATEGORY

General Category International - The 1st Prize - Vladimir Proshin from Russian Federation / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

General Category International - The 2nd Prize - Muhammad Alamsyah Rauf from Indonesia / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

General Category International - The 3rd Prize - Muhamad Saleh Bin Dollah from Malaysia / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

The First Prize in General Category for Emirati artists was not awarded.

General Category Emirati - The 2nd Prize - Sulaiman Ahmed Eid Al Hammadi from UAE / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

General Category Emirati - The 3rd Prize - Sulaiman Ahmed Eid Al Hammadi from UAE / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

BLACK AND WHITE CATEGORY

Black and White Category - The 1st Prize - Yanan Li from China / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Black and White Category - The 2nd Prize - Edmondo Senatore from Italy / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Black and White Category - The 3rd Prize - Wong Ngai Bun from Hong Kong / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

STREET LIFE CATEGORY

The First Prize in Street Life Category was not awarded.

Street Life Category - The joint 2nd Prize - Jianhua Lin from China / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Street Life Category - The 3rd Prize - Santiago Daniel Banon Irujo from Spain / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

SPECIAL AWARDS

Special Award was awarded by HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Photography Appreciation Award to Steve McCurry, known for his photo Afgan Girl / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Photographic Research/Report Award to Ren-Ng for his research on light field photography / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine

Special Photography Appreciation Award to HE Sheikh Hasher Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, Director General, Dubai Department of Information / Photo Â© Islamic Arts Magazine