Muscat – H H Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, will preside over the distribution of Aga Khan Award for Architecture at the Royal Opera House Muscat on October 31.

On the previous day, H H Sayyid Bilarab bin Haitham al Said will preside over the distribution of the Aga Khan Music Awards.

For the first time in the history of Aga Khan awards, both the architecture and music award ceremonies are being hosted by one country – Oman.

The winners of last year’s architecture award were two from Bangladesh – Urban River Spaces, Jhenaidah; and Community Spaces in Rohingya Refugee Response, Cox’s Bazar; and one each from Indonesia – Banyuwangi International Airport, Blimbingsari, East Java; Iran – Argo Contemporary Art Museum and Cultural Centre, Tehran; Lebanon – Renovation of Niemeyer Guest House, Tripoli; and Senegal – Kamanar Secondary School, Thionck Essyl.

The music awards were won by Zakir Hussain of India, Afel Bocoum of Mali, Asin Khan Langa of India, Coumbane Mint Ely Warakane of Mauritania, Dawood Khan Sadozai of Indonesia, Benny Kandra Reni of Indonesia, Soumic Datta of the United Kingdom, Yahya Hussein Abdullah of Tanzania, Yasmin Shah Hosseini of Iran, and Zarsanga of Pakistan.

“The distribution of the Aga Khan Awards for Architecture and Music 2022 in the Sultanate of Oman offers a variety of opportunities to academic researchers, musicians and architects,” said H E Said bin Sultan al Busaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Culture, adding that the awards would enable them to learn about new and outstanding areas highlighted by the awards.

“It will allow them to be in touch with winners from different countries of the world and the protocols associated with the awards. It will also expand the Omani cultural scene integration with various countries of the world and consolidate social awareness about participation in these international awards,” he further added.

“The hosting of the events provides a true manifestation of Oman’s vision to become a destination for art, literature and culture.”

Highlighting Oman’s uniqueness, H E Busaidi asserted that Oman’s deep-rooted history and civilisation make it a destination for awards and an ideal venue for international organisations and international cultural events.