Wednesday 17 / December / 2025
Muscat: At the behest of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Dr. Mohammed bin Said Al Maamari, Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs, on Wednesday presided over a ceremony to hand over the Sultan Qaboos Award for Culture, Arts and Literature 2025 (12th edition) at Al Wahat Club in the Governorate of Muscat.
The top three winners of this year’s award were: Asilah Forum Foundation (among private cultural institutions), Essam Mohamed Sayed Darwish (in the field of sculpture—arts branch) and Hikmat A’Sabbagh (Autobiography—Literature branch).
The ceremony included a speech by Habib bin Mohammed Al Riyami, Chairman of Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science, who underscored the significance of the award, noting that the deserving winners serve as role models of diligence and inspiration.
Al Riyami pointed out that the award has garnered far-reaching dimensions that span the whole geographical area of the Arab world, encouraging talented persons and innovative institutions to participate in a broad spectrum of visions that promise to unveil a more thriving future in the fields of culture, arts and literature.
Al Riyami affirmed that the sorting panels and the adjudicating jury comprise high-profile specialists who operate within the precise set of standards to ensure the winning candidates would contribute works that are worthy of winning the award.
The ceremony also included a video presentation about the award’s 11th edition and a thrilling performance by Oman Music Centre.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Dr. Mohammed bin Said Al Maamari announced the categories of the award in its 13th edition, which will be exclusive for Omani contestors. The forthcoming edition will focus on family and childhood studies in the Sultanate of Oman, Arabic calligraphy and short stories.
