Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre’s Exhibition "Spaces of Light" draws huge turnout

Abu Dhabi, May 23, 2012 (WAM) - The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre "Spaces of Light" exhibition has received a large turnout of visitors who are interested in the art of photography in Abu Dhabi and the UAE. The exhibition, which opened mid-April during a honorary ceremony of the winners in the second round of the competition "Spaces of Light", includes the winning photos in the contest, which was a great hit with 5, 000 participants from 50 different countries around the world. The exhibition also hosts a number of other participant pictures which were selected by the competition judges. The Centre plans to release later a special publication. The exhibition, which runs until mid-July, translates the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre's endeavour to build bridges of cultural communication, through the various arts, including photography, as it has a vital role in highlighting the cultural depth of the UAE and showcasing the authentic Islamic architecture. The Centre is also keen on organising the "Spaces of Light" competition annually as part of a series of activities and events that highlight the Centre's role as a monument of cultural and spiritual importance, that emphasises the noble values inherent in Islam as a religion of love, conversation, tolerance, and open to various sciences and the arts that contribute to human progress. As the United Arab Emirates is a forum for all cultures of the world, invitations were sent out to the public to encourage them to participate in this competition as an expression of this multiplicity and diversity, and to promote the common values among various nations and peoples that live in the UAE. Visitors to the exhibition praised the variety of photographs on display as they document the creative architecture used in the building of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. They pointed out that such events contribute to the advancement of talent and encourages the technical development of the aesthetic sense. They stressed that such exhibitions help develop talent to support the movement of photography in the UAE, and highlights the cultural, artistic and architectural features of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. It is noteworthy that the "Spaces of Light" competition which was launched in October 2010, consists of three categories, "Close-up" and "Panoramic Photo" and "The Mosque and the people". The value of the prizes is Dh300, 000, Dh50, 000 for the first place winner in each category, and AED30, 000 for the second place winners, and Dh20, 000 for the third place. The exhibition is open to visitors seven days a week from 9 am to 10 pm, except on Friday, where visiting hours are from 4:30 pm to 10 pm. – Emirates News Agency, WAM