An art competition to beautify Makkah and showcase Islamic art starts Monday in the holy city. The competition is entitled “In Our Love for Makkah We Meet” and is open to artists from across the globe. The event will seek to bring new color to the city's streets with murals at 12 sites, according to Makkah's Mayor Osama Bin Fadhl Al-Bar. He said the idea is to boost Islamic art and culture. “We hope to turn Makkah into an open museum of Islamic art,” said Al-Bar. During the opening ceremony Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of the Makkah Region, will launch the competition's website in the presence of officials, diplomats, artists, and the media at the Hyatt Hotel in Jeddah. Prince Khaled and officials will make speeches, followed by interaction with the media and the audience, said Osama Bin Abdullah Khereiji from the event management company. According to Hisham Bin Abdurrahman Shelley, General Manager of the department for municipal investment at the Makkah Mayoralty, the competition will display Islamic culture through the ages. He said the competition will allow participants to interact and exchange ideas and will serve to showcase Makkah as the capital of Islamic culture.
