KABUL (SW) – The Ministry of Information and Culture of the de-facto government of the Islamic Emirate has announced the winners of the annual artistic and cultural competition during an event in Kabul.
Officials from the ministry awarded cash prizes and certificates of appreciation to a number of artists and cultural figures whose works won in various categories, including literature, culture, journalism, theater, film, fine arts, and television, at the annual artistic and cultural festival.
They stated that the works of these winners were selected from over 400 entries through a transparent review process.
Saif al-Rahman Mohammadi, director for public cultural affairs at the Ministry of Information and Culture, said: “This year, 464 works were registered for competition in these seven categories, and the best works were selected based on the judges’ votes.”
Mohammad Dawood Nazem, a member of the judging panel for this festival, also mentioned: “There was no pressure on us from any side regarding which work should be first or second; of course, all works participating in this program are successful, but the awards are limited, and the system requires that the best be chosen among them.”
Officials at the Ministry of Information and Culture added that this program, held on Wednesday, was organized to support cultural figures and artists. They also urged artists and cultural figures to focus more on Islamic values and the cultural heritage of Afghanistan in their work.
Atiqullah Azizi, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Art, said: “The Ministry of Information and Culture considers organizing such programs and competitions to be its responsibility and aims to take effective steps to preserve and promote the culture and values of the country.”
Participants in this artistic and cultural competition expect more focus on supporting the artistic and cultural sectors in the country.
Habib ar-Rahman Ghafari, one of the participants in this program, said: “The more programs we have in the cultural sector, the more effective it will be for reflecting the culture and values of the people.”
Suraya Jalali, another participant, mentioned: “I still have five works in the fine arts category, and fortunately, I submitted one of these works for the competition.”
It is worth noting that this festival is held annually by the Ministry of Information and Culture to support artistic and cultural endeavors in the country.
