Representatives and high-ranking officials from 19 countries attended this year’s event.
The award is annually presented in the fields of film, photography, and travelogue. Iraq bagged most of the awards in all categories. A number of religious and cultural officials also addressed the ceremony, during which they highlighted the message of Arba’een and Ashura, which are those of seeking justice and freedom.
Arba’een is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. It comes 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam. Each year, millions of Shias travel to the Iraqi city of Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to mark Arba’een.