Jaipur: A formal ceremony was conducted in Jaipur today to celebrate the achievements of nations that emerged victorious in the "36th International Black and White Photography Biennale," an event that is organized biennially by the International Federation of Photographic Art—also known as the Fédération Internationale de l'Art Photographique (FIAP).
Represented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth, the Sultanate of Oman was awarded the gold medal at the "country level," while photographer Hatim bin Dhahi Al Rashidi was recognized with the bronze medal at the "individual level."
The Sultanate of Oman was represented in the competition by a team of photographers including Muhannad Munir Al Badawi, Khalid Mohammed Al Rawahi, Salim Sultan Al Hajri, Mahmoud Darwish Al Amri, Ismail Mohammed Al Farsi, Hatim bin Dhahi Al Rashidi, Khalid Mohammed Al Maawali, Ahmed Abdullah Al Busaidi, Ahmed Mohammed Al Tawqi, and Youssef Ibrahim Al Mu’aini.
A total of 44 nations participated in the Biennale, with seven Arab countries—Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Egypt—being among them. The jury panel for the event included renowned photographers from Argentina, Belgium, and Sri Lanka.
Oman showcased 10 photographs themed "Majestic Journey: Camels and Companions" in the competition.
The official results of the Biennale competition, announced earlier by the FIAP, revealed that France emerged as the World Cup winners, with the Sultanate of Oman securing the gold medal. Germany was awarded the silver medal, and Russia received the bronze medal. Additionally, six countries were honored with honorary awards: Ireland, Italy, India, Spain, Bahrain, and Belgium.
At the individual level, the gold medal was won by German photographer Martin Serafin, followed by Irish photographer John Sheridan and Belgian photographer Luc Stallman, who each won the silver medal. Hatim bin Dhahi Al Rashidi from Oman and Russian photographer Rustam Magomedov were awarded the bronze medals.
The ceremony took place during the 36th Congress of the International Federation of Photographic Art, which was held from 1 to 8 November, with representatives from 68 FIAP member countries in attendance.
