Sharjah [UAE], February 15: H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of Sharjah Media Council (SMC), on Wednesday witnessed the closing ceremony of the 7th edition of the International Photography Festival (Xposure) in Expo Centre Sharjah.
Curtains closed on the world's largest photography festival organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), after the week-long event welcomed more than 20,000 enthusiasts of art, film, and photography.
Xposure this year was a more diverse and inclusive celebration as it successfully attracted and enlightened hundreds of students, art collectors, traders, directors, producers, architects, conservationists and scientists - not just the photographers' community - throughout the seven-day festival.
The festival also saw a record number of participation in its 63 workshops; was houseful for most of the 41 talks and seminars, which were led by the world's top photographers and filmmakers; and held a successful and insightful second edition of the Conservation Summit which touched on the topic of climate change.
In addition, the event hosted exciting conversations on its newly launched feature Stage X - a platform that hosted photographers, cinematographers, directors, art experts, leading photography brands to enrich Xposure's overall offerings.
In his keynote address during the closing ceremony, Tariq Saeed Allay, Director-General of SGMB, stressed that paying attention to the details in a picture, or exploring aesthetics and describing its content might be easy, but what is difficult is for the image to trigger positive action towards helping those who need the support the most, as well as to dispel baseless myths and misconceptions.
"Let me lay emphasis on one of Xposure's key objectives. Through the exhibitions, we urge you to not just see, but perceive, feel and understand the story behind each image. There is a big difference between the two as the latter requires the complete involvement of your heart and soul, not only your eyes," said Allay.
"Last week, we witnessed a devastating earthquake sweep across Türkiye and Syria. Millions of people lost their families and loved ones. The photographs that showed to the world the extent of this disaster portrayed the coalescing global relief efforts towards the victims.
He added, "Each image we saw, which conveyed the acute hardships our brothers and sisters are facing, acted as a catalyst for entities and individuals planning urgent response and delivering life-saving aid to affected populations," pointing out that Xposure is a platform for pictures that make a difference.
The SGMB Director-General thanked the event organisers, photographers and participants for putting together an impact-driving edition of the festival and promised a larger and more distinct edition next year.
During the closing ceremony, Sheikh Sultan, Allay and Alya Al Suwaidi, Director of SGMB, awarded participation honours to photographers, trade exhibitors and participating entities.
Source: Emirates News Agency