His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, awarded Yahya Nadi from Egypt, with the title of the 14th edition of Sharjah Munshid programme, held at Al Majaz Amphitheatre today (Sunday) 25th December.

Taking the second place spot, Abdullah Al Omari from Lebanon was awarded for their stellar performance, and Muhammad Al Wafi Idris from Libya took home the third place award. Contestants from 12 Arab countries competed for the prestigious Sharjah Munshid title and the top six qualified for the final evening of the popular competition, organised by Sharjah TV, a channel produced by the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA).

The winner of the Sharjah Munshid title received an incredible cash prize of Dh200,000, while the runners up received equally impressive amounts of Dh100,000 and Dh75,000 for second and third place.

Before announcing the winner of the Sharjah Munshid title, the attendees were presented by a number of performances from the top-six finalists, who won the admiration of the jury members by the level of their skills and showmanship, their abilities to switch between anasheeds and melodies and their exquisite choice of lyrics and tunes.

The jury members composed of Tunisian artist Lotfi Bouchnak, Egyptian artist Mahmoud Al Tohamy, and Emirati Munshid Ambassador Ahmed Bukhatir, lauded the contestants’ performances as they portrayed the beauty of this art form to the public, with all its beautiful messages and values.

At the end of the final night, His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, honored the sponsors who support the program with the “Sharjah Munshid” shields, Sharjah Asset Management, Sharjah Media City (Shams), and Sharjah Cooperative Society.

The guest performer for the night, Humood AlKhudher, a Kuwaiti singer and music producer famous for albums such as ‘Fekra’, ‘Aseer Ahsan’, ‘Matha Ba’d?’ and the acclaimed release ‘Ya Rajaee’; mesmerised the audience with a selection of his most famous songs.

Sharjah Munshid programme, which attracts more viewers every year, has served as a launch pad for the musical careers of several exceptional young vocal talents since its debut edition in 2006, under the directives His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The competition aims to continuously enhance the arts and empower those who communicate a powerful message that reflects the authentic values of Arab culture.

The closing ceremony of the Sharjah Munshid, along with His Highness the Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, was attended by:Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed Al Qasimi as CEO of the real estate in Sharjah Asset Management, Khamis bin Salem Al Suwaidi, Advisor at His Highness Sharjah Ruler’s Office, Jamal Salim AL Turaifi. President of Al Qasimia University, and Dr. Khalid Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Media City (Shams), Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, Tariq Saeed Allay Director General, Sharjah Government Media Bureau, and a number of senior officials and media professionals.