True heritage is what remains present in consciousness, what continues to educate, interpret, and pose questions, and what provides future generations with new tools to understand the world through images. From this standpoint, we believe that visual narrative, when presented responsibly and knowledgeably, transforms into a human language that transcends borders, capable of building collective memory, deepening human understanding, and enhancing the role of the image as a sustainable cultural and intellectual force. The International Photography Festival (Expo 2026), organized by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, has launched a new cultural initiative, the 'Expo Heritage Awards,' to honor exhibitions that celebrate visual narrative as a sustainable intellectual legacy. The awards are divided into three main categories: 'Nour Ali Rashid for Documentary Heritage,' 'Saleh Al-Asstati for Artistic Heritage,' and 'Bia'a for the Preservation of Natural Heritage.' The launch of the Heritage Awards coincides with the tenth edition of the festival, held under the slogan 'A Decade of Visual Storytelling,' from January 29 to February 4 on Al Marjan Street in Sharjah. The awards' evaluation model combines public engagement with expert critical vision, enhancing their cultural credibility, with the winners to be announced at the conclusion of Expo. Director of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, Aliya Bughannam Al-Suwaidi, stated: 'Expo's vision for the Heritage Awards stems from an expanded understanding of cultural heritage. We do not view the past as a concluded era or an isolated historical accumulation, but as a living legacy that extends through time.'
