Abu Dhabi, Feb 24th, 2013 (WAM)--The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC) announced the new format for the third season of its "Spaces of Light" Photography Competition, under the patronage of H. H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
Competition dates were also confirmed; March 3rd to May 17th and is under the heading "Aesthetics of Architecture in Abu Dhabi". This season will include two main categories which encourage photographers to focus on the architectural aesthetics of both Emirates Palace and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The announcement was made to a number of media representatives during a press conference held by SZGMC this morning at the Emirates Palace Hotel in cooperation with the management of the hotel and in the presence of Yousif Al Obaidli, Director of the SZGMC. As the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre honours artistic appreciation, cultural and intellectual understanding, the "Spaces of Light" photography competition was launched in October 2010 and continues under the patronage of H. H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Presidential Affairs, to celebrate the aesthetic panorama and visual culture of the mosque. This year?s competition theme has broadened and will include two of Abu Dhabi?s most significant architectural achievements, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Emirates Palace. Photographers from the Emirates, the Arab region and across the world will be encouraged to capture the exquisite beauty of both architectural masterpieces, showcasing their creativity and photographic skills, thus capturing visual memories for generations to come. The SZGMC management is making great efforts to provide ways to ensure the success of this unique photographic competition, with the support of Chairman Ahmed Juma Al Zaabi, Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the SZGMC Board members. Yousif Al Obaidli, Director of the SZGMC spoke to conference attendees, "The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center continually aims to collaborate with cultural centres and tourism establishments. The third season of the "Spaces of Light" Photography Competition is in cooperation with the Emirates Palace, which will showcase the aesthetics of the architectural themes found in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Emirates Palace, the most prominent and widely visited destinations in Abu Dhabi, the country and the region."He added: "Spaces of Light" has contributed to the promotion of artistic and photographic excellence while opening up opportunities for the participants to appreciate and learn about Islamic architecture. In this way the Mosque strengthens its role in the community as a centre of cultural and intellectual dialogue between different cultures, a goal established by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (May Allah rest his soul in eternal peace). Al Obaidli continued: "As "Spaces of Light" continues into its third consecutive year, the new theme will also see modifications in the competition categories, standards and technical requirements of entry which is available in detail on the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre website. Abdul Aziz Al Maamari, Acting Director of Cultural Communication and Events at the SZGMC said, "The "Spaces of Light" Photography Competition has achieved great success since its inauguration two years ago. It has received significant attention from national and international media and has attracted a large number of professional and amateur photography enthusiasts from around the world. Last year?s competition received five thousand entries from fifty countries, compared to four thousand entries in the first session, which confirms the status of Spaces of Light as an important international cultural initiative across a wide audience."This year there will be monthly educational photography workshops to be conducted during the competition period for participants. Al Maamari continued: "Total prize value for this year is Dh 250,000 spread over the two categories. The first place winners will receive AED 40,000 and a specialist Leica camera; the second place winners will receive Dh 30,000 and the third place winners Dh 20,000. Winners of previous sessions of Spaces of Light have been from a wide range of nationalities including the UAE, the Arab region and international photographers."Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2013.
