THE much awaited six winners' names of the premier Pan-Arab gold jewelry design contest ‘AuDITIONS Arabia' - launched in January 2008 from Dubai, Jeddah and Cairo by the World Gold Council (WGC) in partnership with international industry player Hammer Group - were announced in an award ceremony which took place at the Gulf Auditorium of the Fairmont Hotel at the end of April. The Saudi jewelry designer Abeer Nizar Al-Khateeb was nominated amongst the top 30 finalists for her design. “The response to the contest has been overwhelming; a clear index to its growing popularity in the region,” said Anan Fakhreddin, the Managing Director of the Middle East and Turkey division of WGC. “We have also seen a greater diversity and creativity in the designs submitted, incorporating a more daring and adventurous spirit.” AuDITIONS Arabia' was part of the ‘AuDITIONS Global' initiative – the gold jewelry design competition launched across the globe in partnership with ‘AngloGold Ashanti' – one of the world's leading gold producers. This was the very first such competition in the Arab world, attracting applicants from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt. Prior to the competition, the WGC had organized on-the-ground activities to promote the contest and elevate the standard of designs submitted, including lectures at jewelry design workshops and colleges in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and here in the Kingdom. In Jeddah, the contest was sponsored and supported by the active Gold and Jewelry Committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI). As well as lending their support to the contest, the committee also aimed to support the gold and jewelry sector within the Kingdom. “WGC's country manager, consultants and Jeddah's Gold Committee's efforts have helped to develop the skills (of those working) within the gold and jewelry sector; encouraging participation in such international exercises in order to get recognition,” stated Sheikh Jamil Farsi, Head of Jeddah's Gold and Jewelry committee. “They are providing opportunities to develop talents and ultimately benefit their country.” “WGC also supports the establishment of the first goldsmith institute in Jeddah in partnership with the committee and JCCI, which is also supported by the HR (Human Resources) fund,” added Farsi. “This ambitious project will help a lot in Saudizing the fabrication sector in the country.” Industry professionals and representatives from the Hammer Group and WGC conducted the first judging session to select the top 30 designs from a hundred short-listed entries, which were then manufactured into actual gold jewelry pieces by the Hammer Group. Majid Al-Gouneh, Chief Managing Director of Hammer Group – incidentally, the largest multinational jewelry group in the world – commented that his organization believes in the distinct character of Arabian jewelry designs, whether traditional or contemporary. “We hope that this contest will infuse a sense of vibrancy and passion for gold jewelry amongst the target group by making it modern, inspirational and in tune with their lifestyle,” he remarked. The contestants selected formed a diverse mix of nationalities including Saudi, Egyptian, Indian, Syrian, Jordanian, Moroccan, Sri Lankan, Algerian, Yemeni, Libyan, Bahraini, Iraqi, Lebanese, Kuwaiti, Palestinian, Filipino and Tunisian. The contest's consultant from Saudi Arabia, Abdulaziz Al-Shaikh, who attended the ceremony with the country manager and representative of the WGC in the Kingdom, Bisher Diab, remarked that their efforts with the WGC had been fruitful in the exploration and development of Saudi and Arab skills in jewelry design. “The series of design and art lectures organized and held in several Saudi cities have had a great impact on the youth; to develop their skills and encourage them to participate in this international contest to express their creativity and pave the way for Arab and international recognition,” he noted. The six winners were selected from two categories and received prizes, trophies and certificates of merit on behalf of the WGC, Hammer Group and AngloGold Ashanti. In the ‘catwalk' category, Egypt's Jeana and Magdi Mushriqui's design won the first prize, with Syrian Reem Nadim Yassouf winning the second, and Asma Salem Alawlaqi from the UAE winning the third prize respectably. In the second, ‘ready-to-wear' category, Egypt won again with Karam Mosaad Ahmed Mohammed taking the first prize, Mohammed Abul Azayem Abdul Munem – again from Egypt – winning the second prize and Nithya Mukundan from India coming third. Saudi Arabia's claim to gold jewelry design fame - Abeer Nizar Al-Khateeb - based her short-listed design on the famous Arabic ‘igaal'. “I chose this theme because this is the traditional Arab headdress,” she remarked. Since the theme of the contest was ‘ethno-contemporary', participants were expected to draw inspiration from ancient traditions, particularly from components of the rich cultural fabric of their countries like art and architecture. The purpose was to fuse Arab heritage with the luxurious essence of gold's warm glow to present it in designs that recall and reflect traditions in a modern context. The well-known Saudi artist and designer Hisham Binjabi, Azzah Fahmi – Egypt's famous jewelry designer – and India's acclaimed fashion designer Farah Khan were amongst the judges. Binjabi commented that the WGC had taught him how to handle the abundant number of creative designers in the Kingdom. “The WGC and I will cooperate with several public and private entities and colleges in Saudi Arabia, liaising with the JCCI – mainly the ladies' section and Khadeeja Bint Khuwailed Center in the chamber – to hold several public lectures on how to improve the quality of jewelry design,” he said. Another judge at the final judging session was Mark Pool from AngloGold Ashanti, and he indicated that there was still more that could be done. “To safeguard gold jewelry's rightful place in the Middle Eastern market, there is still more ground to be covered to ensure that jewelry remains attractive to customers,” he remarked.
