Muscat– The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth on Sunday announced the winners of the Child Culture Award 2026, with Malak Fahd Al Wahaibi taking first place in the ‘Talk So That I May See You’ competition.

Al Ghaliya Talal Al Abri came second, followed by Iyad Khalil Al Wa’ili in third place, Safiya Ali Al Shehhi in fourth and Fawwaz Anwar Al Hatmi in fifth.

The final stage of the competition was held at the Ministry of Information Theatre, where the five finalists presented short visual performances before the jury and the public.

The ‘Talk So That I May See You’ competition is aimed at talented children aged 7 to 12, including Omanis and Arab students residing in Oman. Participants were required to prepare visual content in standard Arabic or the local dialect, with each presentation limited to three minutes.

The competition attracted 300 participants this year, of whom 50 qualified for the second stage before five finalists were selected for the final.

The finalists addressed three themes — energy, sustainability and innovation — focusing on the importance of energy and ways to rationalise its consumption, children’s role in protecting the environment and promoting sustainability, and innovative solutions to everyday challenges, particularly those related to water and energy.

The four-member judging panel included a judge from outside Oman for the first time in the competition’s history. The move aimed to bring international technical expertise to the competition, facilitate knowledge exchange with Omani judges and strengthen the award as a platform for showcasing Omani culture and the creative abilities 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.

In a speech delivered on behalf of the ministry, Ahmed Saud Al Rawahi, Assistant Director General of the Directorate of Knowledge and Cultural Development and Director of the Muscat International Book Fair, said the award, launched in 2021, has become a platform for discovering children’s talents and encouraging writers and authors to create works in children’s culture.

The award has two branches: ‘Talk So That I May See You’, aimed at children, and ‘Oman Tells’, dedicated to writers and authors specialising in children’s culture.

The award has also expanded its participation to Arab children and writers residing in Oman. The 2025 and 2026 editions attracted participants from six Arab countries — Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon, Yemen and Sudan.

In the ‘Oman Tells’ competition, 96 writers participated this year, with five winning stories selected without ranking. The stories focused on influential figures in Omani culture, particularly personalities from the oil and gas sector, with support from OQ.

The winning stories included My Father’s Blue Shadow by Tuful Zahran Al Sarmi, about Dr Al Mu’tasim bin Mohammed Al Bahlani; The Mountain Lantern by Khadija Ali Al Mufarriji, featuring teacher Zahra Salim Al Aufi; and Who Opened the Door of Oman’s Land? by Sarah Ahmed Al Farsi, about Sheikh Said Ahmed Al Shanfari.

The other winning stories were Tale of a Voice from Oman by Aisha Juma Al Farsi, about media personality Muna Mahfoudh Al Manthari, and Salim and the Oud Instrument Coming from the Sea by Wafa Juma Al Rashdi, about traditional musician Salim bin Rashid Al Suri.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Al Rowas honoured the winners, members of the two judging panels and supporting entities that contributed to the success of the award.

Supervised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the Child Culture Award seeks to strengthen children’s awareness of identity and belonging, develop their linguistic and educational skills, promote values and improve the quality of creative works produced for children. This year’s edition was held with the support and cooperation of OQ.