On 18th November every year, the International Day of Islamic Art is celebrated. Besides celebrating cultural diversity, this celebration promotes freedom of expression, cultural heritage preservation, and intercultural understanding. The day also promotes tolerance between people and rapprochement between cultures.
The International Day of Islamic Art was proclaimed at the 40th session of the Unesco General Conference. Audrey Azoulay, director-general of Unesco, said marking the day will also “foster tolerance between peoples and support cultural rapprochement, both of which are possible through the power of art”.
“To engage with Islamic art is to discover a history made up of exchanges, contacts and influences, from Europe to Africa and from the Mediterranean basin to the Indian Ocean,” she said in a statement.
Islamic art includes visual arts produced by both Muslims and non-Islamic people since the 7th century. These people lived in areas that were culturally inhabited or controlled by Muslims. It is a very difficult art to define, as it spans about 1400 years. This art spans many countries and people. Nor is it a particular religion, time, place, or medium. Instead, Islamic art covers a variety of artistic disciplines such as architecture, calligraphy, painting, glass, pottery, and textiles. One of the predominant elements in Islamic art is the repetition of stylized, geometrical floral or vegetal designs known as the arabesque.
The worldwide celebration of the International Day of Islamic Art not only encourages the appreciation of Islamic art, which has inspired other artistic movements, but also contributes to cultural diversity, freedom of expression, protection of cultural heritage and inter-cultural dialogue. Marking the Day is also a way to foster tolerance between peoples and support cultural rapprochement, both of which are possible through the power of art.
It is a day meant to commemorate past and present artistic expressions of Islam and celebrate the contribution of Islamic art to artistic movements and culture around the world.