Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding hosts the Award Ceremony of its 2nd annual ‘Treasures of the UAE' Art Competition

[Dubai, UAE] – 05, December 2013 – In the celebration of this year's UAE 42nd National Day, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) were pleased to host an Award Ceremony on Monday 2nd December to honour the 24 winning student artists of the 2013 “Treasures of the UAE “ Art Competition. The Ceremony included prize giving, a private Cultural Lunch and a Heritage Tour of the Al Fahidi Historic District.

24 winners were selected by prominent regional artists, In total, 283 pieces of artwork were submitted by students from 48 schools across the UAE capturing the essence of the UAE's famous historical sites and landmarks.

All winning artwork is displayed in a bespoke Exhibition at the SMCCU Heritage House in the Al Fahidi Historic District of Dubai open to members of the public until Sunday 5th January 2014.

All submitted artwork may be viewed in an exclusive online gallery published on the SMCCU website; http://www.cultures.ae/index.php/art-competition

Nasif Kayed Managing Director of the SMCCU commented: “UAE's historic monuments and landscapes stand here to remind us of our roots, traditions and the UAE's great history. This initiative strives to uncover a new interpretation of these historical landmarks from the next generation residing in the UAE, encouraging creativity combined with historic knowledge.”

About Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding: The SMCCU is a non-profit organisation located in the Al Fahidi Historic District established under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The Centre operates under the philosophy “Open Doors. Open Minds.” striving to remove barriers between people of different nationalities and raise awareness of the local culture, customs and religion of the UAE.