Winners of Child Culture Award 2026 announced

Muscat: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth announced on Sunday the names of the winners of the Child Culture Award 2026 in the "Talk So That I May See You" branch, which aims to establish and promote awareness of identity and belonging in a child's life while developing their linguistic and educational experience.In the first branch of the competition, "Talk So That I May See You," Malak Fahd Al Wahaibi won first place, while Al Ghaliya Talal Al Abri came second, Iyad Khalil Al Wa'ili secured third place, Safiya Ali Al Shehhi placed fourth, and Fawwaz Anwar Al Hatmi took fifth place, during the final qualifications for the qualifiers held at the Ministry of Information Theatre. The qualified students presented their performances in the "Talk So That I May See You" competition, which targets talented children skilled in speaking aged 7 to 12 years, including both Omanis and Arab students residing in the Sultanate of Oman, by preparing visual content in standard Arabic or the local dialect not exceeding three minutes, addressing specific topics.The number of participants in this edition reached 300, of whom 50 contestants qualified for the second stage, after which five qualifiers were chosen to compete in the final stage before the jury and the public during the closing ceremony.The qualifiers competed on three main topics: energy, sustainability, and innovation, addressing the importance of energy and ways to rationalise its consumption, the role of children in protecting the environment and achieving sustainability, alongside proposing innovative ideas and solutions for daily life issues, particularly in the fields of water and energy.Four judges participated in the jury of the "Talk So That I May See You" competition, including a judge from outside the Sultanate of Oman for the first time in the competition's history, with the goal of benefiting from international technical expertise and exchanging knowledge with Omani judges, as well as enhancing the award's presence as a window to introduce Omani culture and the creative capabilities of talented children.The closing ceremony was held under the auspices of Basil Ahmed Al Rowas, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Sports and Youth.Ahmed Saud Al Rawahi, Assistant Director General of the Directorate of Knowledge and Cultural Development and Director of the Muscat International Book Fair, stated in the speech of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth that since the launch of the award in 2021, it has continued to consolidate its presence as a platform for discovering children's talents and inspiring writers and authors to innovate in child culture through its two branches: "Talk So That I May See You," directed at children, and "Oman Tells," directed at writers and authors specializing in child culture.He added that the horizons of the award have expanded beyond geographical boundaries, welcoming Arab children and writers residing in the Sultanate of Oman, as the 2025 and 2026 editions witnessed broad participation from six Arab countries: Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon, Yemen, and Sudan.He explained that this turnout embodies the role of culture as a bridge bringing peoples together, reaffirming that the Sultanate of Oman remains a welcoming space hosting the creative dreams of every Arab child. The ceremony also witnessed the honoring of the winners of the "Oman Tells" competition, dedicated to writers and authors to compose story texts for children and young adults linked to cultural heritage and enhancing Omani identity.The number of participants in the competition this year reached 96 writers, from among whom five winning texts were selected without ranking, addressing influential figures in Omani culture, with a focus on figures from the oil and gas sector supported by OQ Company.Tuful Zahran Al Sarmi won for the story "My Father's Blue Shadow," which touched upon the biography of Dr. Al Mu'tasim bin Mohammed Al Bahlani and his success in registering an international patent in the field of heavy oil extraction.Khadija Ali Al Mufarriji won for the story "The Mountain Lantern," which touched upon the biography of the teacher Zahra Salim Al Aufi as an inspiring model in voluntary and social work.Sarah Ahmed Al Farsi won for the story "Who Opened the Door of Oman's Land?", which introduced children to the biography of Sheikh Said Ahmed Al Shanfari and his contributions to the oil and minerals sector and the development of energy strategies in the Sultanate of Oman.Aisha Juma Al Farsi won for the story "Tale of a Voice from Oman," which reviewed the biography of media personality Muna Mahfoudh Al Manthari and her contributions to the Omani media journey as one of the first female faces in radio and television in the Sultanate of Oman.Wafa Juma Al Rashdi won for the story "Salim and the Oud Instrument Coming from the Sea," which touched upon the biography of artist Salim bin Rashid Al Suri, one of the pioneers of traditional singing and music in the Sultanate of Oman and the Arabian Gulf region.At the conclusion of the ceremony, Basil Ahmed Al Rowas, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Sports and Youth, the chief guest, honoured the winners of the Child Culture Award 2026 competitions, in addition to honoring members of the two jury committees and supporting entities contributing to the award's success.It is noteworthy that the Child Culture Award 2026, supervised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, includes a number of competitions targeting talented children, writers, and authors working in the field of child culture. It aims to establish and enhance awareness of identity and belonging, develop linguistic and educational experiences in children, and promote human values consistent with national values, alongside elevating the quality of production directed at children and enriching their human culture. This year's edition came with support and cooperation from OQ Company.