Huawei Kicks Off XMAGE UAE Social Media Competition, Inviting Photography Lovers to Share Their Best Shots and Represent the UAE Globally

UAE,June 2026 – Huawei has officially announced the launch of the HUAWEI XMAGE UAE Social Media Competition, inviting photography enthusiasts, creators, and Huawei smartphone users across the country to capture and share their most compelling visual stories for a chance to win exclusive local prizes and be part of the global HUAWEI XMAGE Awards 2026.

The UAE competition runs in parallel with the global HUAWEI XMAGE Awards, which returned this year to invite smartphone photography enthusiasts worldwide to showcase their creativity and visual storytelling between March 23 and August 16, 2026. The global awards celebrate the art of mobile imaging and the power of photography to capture meaningful human moments, cultural perspectives, and everyday stories through the lens of Huawei smartphones.

The announcement follows the remarkable success of the HUAWEI XMAGE Awards 2025, which culminated in a prestigious ceremony at the iconic Grand Palais in Paris on November 12, 2025, held alongside the globally renowned Paris Photo. Last year’s competition attracted more than 740,000 submissions from creators across multiple countries and regions, with 100 outstanding images selected as winners. Among the winners celebrated on the global stage were two talented photographers from the United Arab Emirates, Grace Montives and Mark Anthony Agtay, whose captivating images earned international recognition among hundreds of thousands of submissions.

Building on this momentum, the HUAWEI XMAGE UAE Social Media Competition aims to inspire photography lovers across the country to capture the beauty, diversity, and unique stories of life in the UAE. From cityscapes and desert landscapes to culture, people, architecture, and everyday human moments, the competition encourages participants to frame the UAE from their own perspective and share their creativity with a wider audience.

To celebrate the most inspiring entries from across the country, the competition brings together a distinguished judging panel of photography, creativity, and visual storytelling experts. The panel includes Mohammed Moustafa Aldaou, Photography Curator and BIPP Judge; Dr. Ali Mohamad, Photography Expert; and Mubarak Mahboub, Professional Photography Coach and Filmmaker. The judges will evaluate entries based on powerful perspectives, original composition, emotional storytelling, and images that reflect the creativity of the UAE’s photography community.

Commenting on the competition, Mohammed Moustafa Aldaou, Photography Curator and BIPP Judge, said: “Having worked with photographers, exhibitions, and visual storytelling initiatives across different regions of the world, I have witnessed how photography transcends language and geography to create meaningful human connections. The UAE offers a particularly rich visual landscape, where heritage and innovation, tradition and modernity, coexist in remarkable harmony. Through the HUAWEI XMAGE UAE Social Media Competition, we look forward to discovering images that not only demonstrate technical excellence, but also reveal authentic perspectives, cultural depth, and compelling narratives that reflect the spirit of the UAE. The most powerful photographs are those that allow us to see familiar places through a new lens and connect us to stories that resonate far beyond borders.”

Dr. Ali Mohamad, Photography Expert, said: “The UAE is a country rich with contrasts, from modern skylines and cultural landmarks to human stories and everyday moments that often go unnoticed. This competition gives photographers an opportunity to use mobile imaging as a creative tool to document these perspectives and share them with the world in a meaningful way.”

Mubarak Mahboub, Professional Photography Coach and Filmmaker, added: “What makes a powerful photograph is not the device alone, but the eye behind the lens and the emotion behind the frame. We will be looking for entries that go beyond beauty and technical quality to deliver originality, feeling, and a story that stays with the viewer.”

Participants in the UAE competition will have the chance to win exclusive local prizes. The local competition also serves as a gateway to the global HUAWEI XMAGE Awards 2026, where selected participants can showcase their work on an international platform. This year’s global awards will recognize 100 winners, with 3 winners receiving USD 10,000, 97 winners receiving USD 1,500, and all winners receiving an electronic certificate.

To participate in the HUAWEI XMAGE UAE Social Media Competition, users need to:

Through both the global HUAWEI XMAGE Awards and the dedicated UAE social media competition, Huawei continues to empower users to transform everyday moments into powerful visual stories that connect people, cultures, and communities around the world.