IRCICA has published the complete collection of the award-winning works of the first ten rounds of its international calligraphy competition which were heldfrom 1986to2016. Thisunique collection ofpreviouslyunpublishedcalligraphic works consistsof thebestones in different style categories selected from among thousands of entries presented at each round of the competition.

The album contains 235 calligraphic works by 140 artists which were awarded one of the first three prizes in each category. Each competition was conducted in at least ten categories corresponding to the styles of writing most widely used across the Islamic world. The works were illuminated after each competition. Hundreds of other works having won mentions and incentive awards are also included, setting a full record of the artistic activity rewarded in the competition.

IRCICA’s international calligraphy competition, held every three years, aims to promote the performance and raise the appreciation of the classical art of Islamic calligraphy around the world, preserve and further enrich this authentic asset of the Islamic cultural heritage. The growing number and cultural diversityof theparticipantsover thirtyyearsandimprovementof theaverageartisticqualityof theentries reflectedthepositiveimpactof thecompetition in stimulating interest in this art and encouraging creativity coupled with thoroughness.

Over thepast thirtyyears, thecompetition hasgiven birth toan “IRCICA generation”of calligraphers, who havecontributedtotheaccomplishmentsof this art in differentpartsof the world with their worksandtheir teaching. IRCICA isproudthat in this way, its competition program has touchedpositively the careers of thousands of calligraphers world-wide