On Thursday, April 25^th University President Dr. Rami Hamdallah opened the Faculty of Fine Arts annual art exhibition. The opening ceremony also included announcement of the winners of the Salah Al-Masri Award for Artistic Creativity. Mrs. Asma Al-Masri, sponsor of the Salah Al-Masri Award, attended the ceremony. Also in attendance were Dr. Hasan Na’erat, Dean of the Fine Arts Faculty, Mr. Ziad Othman, Representative of the Governor of Nablus, and Mr. Awsam Saalim, Representative from the Nablus Municipality, in addition to many students from the Fine Arts faculty.      

Dr. Na’erat offered a speech for the exhibition opening. He thanked Dr. Hamdallah and noted “This is an important day for the Faculty of Fine Arts in which we honor outstanding students for their distinguished creativity, ideas, and work. Within the faculty these students have taken paths of artistic innovation and creativity which deserve recognition. These students and all the personnel here in Fine Arts have developed the Faculty with the support of our “ship captain,” Dr. Rami Hamdallah, as well as the support of the Board of Trustees, who have spared no effort in working with us to develop the Faculty broadly to make it a faculty of distinction and creativity. We will keep moving forward on the path we have drawn for ourselves until we reach the top.”   

Dr. Na’erat also thanked Mrs. Asma Al-Masri and the Al-Masri family for their support of artistic creativity.

Dr. Hamdallah noted that the awards ceremony for the Salah Al-Masri Award for Artistic Creativity provides a special occasion for the university community to gather to celebrate the work of its creative leaders. He emphasized that the University and its trustees believe in and appreciate art and are committed to supporting the fine arts at the University, recognizing the important cultural and civilizational role art plays.   

Dr. Hamdallah said that the prize, which is in its fifth year, reminds the University community of Salah al-Masri’s spirit. He stressed that Salah al-Masri was a true son of the University as a member of the Board of Trustees and then as President of the Board of Trustees. “Salah Al-Masri, at every step, showed a responsibility and a loyalty to An-Najah University and made it one of his top priorities,” said Dr. Hamdallah. He noted that meeting to award the Salah Al-Masri prize allows the University community to keep Salah Al-Masri’s contribution to University life alive and he thanked Mrs. Masri for continuing her husband’s mission to support students.  

For her part, Mrs. Masri thanked the University, spoke about the prize commemorating the late Salah Al-Masri, and praised the Faculty of Fine Arts for its superior contributions to art and culture.

Following the distribution of the awards, a ribbon cutting ceremony officially opened the exhibition, which includes five wings: interior design, canvas drawing and painting, graphic design, visual arts, and ceramics.