RCSI Medical University of Bahrain hosted a ceremony to celebrate the winners of the Health Awareness Art Competition 2023-2024, in the presence of His Excellency Dr Mohamed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Higher Education Council, Professor Sameer Otoom, President of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain, and invitees from both institutions.

On this occasion, His Excellency Dr Mohamed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Higher Education Council, congratulated the winners and praised the high level demonstrated by their artistic works and their adherence to the objectives of the competition. His Excellency also commended RCSI Medical University of Bahrain for continuing to organise this competition in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

Professor Sameer Otoom, President of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain, commented, “RCSI Medical University of Bahrain extends its appreciation to His Excellency Dr Mohamed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Higher Education Council, for his keen support of the competition and for forging collaborations between all educational institutions in Bahrain for the benefit of all students. We also extend our congratulations to the winners of the Health Awareness Art competition for their creative artworks and hope they become ambassadors for health and wellbeing in their schools and communities."

During the award ceremony, Dr Farzana Abdullah Al-Maraghi, Assistant Secretary-General at the Higher Education Council, addressed the attendees, and stated, “This year’s competition was elevated with the participation of university students which enriched the competition and allowed for diversity in the artistic works created by the students in each academic category.”

Commending the students for their creative efforts, Professor Kathryn Strachan, Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery/Community Engagement Pillar Lead, stated in her address to the attendees, “RCSI Medical University of Bahrain is proud of its role in community engagement, and as we gather to celebrate the exceptional work of these students, we also celebrate the future of advocacy for health in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The students’ contributions are invaluable to our ongoing mission to enhance health education and awareness. Together, let us continue to foster a culture of health that values informed discussion, creative expression and collective action.

42 students from various public schools and private universities were nominated to participate in the competition to create art pieces for a selection of health-related themes, such as 'Safety on the roads’ for Primary school students, 'Hazards of smoking and vaping' for Intermedia school students, 'Obesity and the importance of a healthy diet and exercise' for Secondary school students and 'Clean environments and renewable energy’ for university students. The winners were selected by a judging panel consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Education and RCSI Medical University of Bahrain.

The 13 winners were awarded by at His Excellency Dr Mohamed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Higher Education Council at the end of the ceremony.  

Award Winners

In the Primary School category, Sarah Al-Buainain from Orouba Primary Girls School was awarded first place. Taif Al Serbi from Al Budaiya Primary Preparatory School for Girls and Zainab Mahmood from Rabaa Al Adawiya Primary School for Girls were awarded second and third places, respectively, and Haneen Muhammad from Al Budaiya Primary Preparatory School for Girls was awarded fourth place.

In the Intermediate School category, Ghalia Hassan from Halima Al-Saadia Preparatory School for Girls won first place. Maryam Al-Haiki of Zanoobia Intermediate Girls School placed second, while Asma Mushref Jassim Mohamed Khalaf, also from Halima Al-Saadia Preparatory School for Girls, earned third place.

In the Secondary School category, Haneen Abdul Redha and Zainab Zaid from Hamad Town Secondary School for Girls were awarded first and second place, respectively. Aya Hassan from Jidhafs Secondary School for Girls achieved third place.

In the University category, Yasser Saeed Ahmed from the University of Bahrain achieved first place, Amina Al-Asmi from Kingdom University was awarded second place, and Dalal Khaled Ismail Abdel Rashid from Bahrain Polytechnic was awarded third place. 

This yearly competition led by the Community Engagement office of the University aims to raise awareness among school and university students about critical health issues and empower them to advocate for health and wellbeing within their communities.