The Tunisian calligraphers Salma Ben Ammar and Chaïma Tlili won respectively the first and second places in the international Arabic calligraphy competition “Noune” (N), organized by the Grand Mosque of Paris on the occasion of its centenary.
Salma Ben Ammar clinched the first place in the Maghrebi style category, while Chaïma Tlili secured second place in the Kufic style category, tied with Iraqi calligrapher Yasser Karrar.
In a statement to the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP), the director of the National Center for Calligraphy Arts, Yassine El Mekrani, specified that the two laureates come from the Center’s first graduating class, in 2024.
More than 350 works in competition
The president of the jury for the competition, Tunisian calligrapher Omar El Jemni, indicated to TAP that this international event registered the participation of more than 350 works created by calligraphers from 32 countries.
Among the represented countries are Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Oman, France, Malaysia and China. The competition also recorded a significant number of entries from Indonesia, Iran, Turkey and Pakistan.
The works in competition were distributed among six major Arabic calligraphy styles: Thuluth, Naskh, Ta’liq/Nasta’liq, Diwani, Kufic — notably the Kufic from Kairouan — and the Maghribi style.
Omar El Jemni further highlighted the notable presence of the Kairouanian Kufic among the works presented, as well as the diversity of nationalities of artists who chose this style.
30 laureates and €57,000 in prizes
The competition results were announced on September 19, 2026. In total, 30 laureates were rewarded, with three winners for each of the ten categories chosen.
The value of the first prize amounts to €7,000 for each category, while the total amount of prizes distributed represents a global envelope of €57,000.
Through this competition, the organizers aim to honor the most remarkable artists in the field of Islamic arts, encourage the ongoing development and promotion of this art and contribute to its transmission to future generations.
The competition also intends to support artists, preserve the unique features of Arabic calligraphy, and foster cultural dialogue through an art that combines tradition, aesthetics and technical mastery.
A Free Training at the National Center for the Arts of Calligraphy
The launch of applications for the competition was announced on May 6, 2026, with registration closing at the end of the same month. Works were then accepted until July 30, 2026, before the start of the selection and judging process.
Note that the National Center for the Arts of Calligraphy offers free training in the fields of calligraphy and ornamentation. It welcomes every year several dozen new students, who benefit from a three-year ongoing program devoted to different styles of Arabic calligraphy.
The distinctions obtained in Paris by Salma Ben Ammar and Chaïma Tlili thus highlight the work of the new generation of Tunisian-trained calligraphers and the country’s role in preserving and renewing this traditional art.
