Oman

Budding artist secures top honours at Citizenship Forum

Artist Najla al Hattali explaining her artwork.
 
Artist Najla al Hattali explaining her artwork.
SALALAH: In a remarkable achievement, Najla al Hattali, a final-year student of the Mass Communication Department at UTAS Salalah, has brought pride to her university and community by winning top honours at the Digital Citizenship Forum.

The event, held at UTAS Al Musannah on Monday, witnessed participation from various university branches and educational institutions across the Sultanate of Oman, with nearly 70 students showcasing their talents.

Najla secured the first prize in the category of traditional art and painting, impressing the judges with her creativity and dedication. Her painting also earned her third place among all the exhibits at the forum, which included activities such as debates, poster presentations and exhibitions of traditional handicrafts and software development.



The forum focused on the theme of integrating digital citizenship into educational curricula and addressing future challenges.

Najla, an avid artist since her school days, often draws inspiration from nature and human figures for her artwork. Speaking about her achievement, she expressed her gratitude, saying, 'This is for my university, and I am happy for this opportunity that came my way. I am thankful for the support I received from all quarters.'

She expressed happiness over the timing of the event, which coincided with Omani Women’s Day just two days later. 'The award makes me think of bigger achievements, as I need to work harder to set and achieve my goals,' she said.

Dr Said bin Hamed al Rubaii, Vice-Chancellor of UTAS, attended the forum and appreciated the students' work, commending their dedication and contributions to the event.