Al Majalla wins two awards at the Society of Illustrators’ ceremony in New York

Al Majalla, the Arab world’s leading current and political affairs magazine, recently received two prestigious awards at the Society of Illustrators’ Awards ceremony. The ceremony took place at the historic Museum of Illustration in New York City last week. The award-winning work from Al Majalla is currently featured in an exhibition highlighting the year’s most exceptional works, including commissioned pieces for international news publications such as The New York Times and The Washington Post.

These latest accolades represent Al Majalla’s dedication to advancing creativity through visual storytelling and artistic innovation. The illustrations titled ‘A Grim Anniversary’, created by Luca D’Urbino and art directed by Al Majalla’s Sara Loane, as well as ‘Pursuing Fusion’, illustrated by Dave Murray, were awarded at the ceremony.

‘A Grim Anniversary’, featured alongside an editorial titled ‘One year on, Russia-Ukraine war turns into test of resolve’, depicted the one-year anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war through a simple, yet captivating visual design. This marks the fifth international recognition for the illustration since its initial publication in February 2023, including the acclaimed American Illustration Award and the Communication Arts Award of Excellence.

‘Pursuing Fusion’ was created and commissioned as a complementary illustration for the editorial titled ‘Nuclear fusion breakthrough is a qualitative step in a long journey ahead’, spotlighting the notable increase in investor interest in nuclear fusion start-ups following the breakthrough at the United States National Ignition Facility in December 2022.

Both illustrations were selected by an international jury of renowned illustrators, art directors and designers, and chosen from a pool of 3,000 entries submitted by over 1,200 illustrators worldwide.

Commenting on the achievement, Ibrahim Hamidi, Editor-in-Chief of Al Majalla, said: “Since our relaunch as part of SRMG’s transformation and growth strategy, Al Majalla has delivered in-depth coverage and analysis combined with compelling visuals, thanks to a dedicated and creative team. Our goal is to transform reading of complex topics into an enjoyable and enriching experience for both the eyes and the mind.”

Hamidi added: “I am proud that Al Majalla continues to uphold its position at the forefront of leading magazines in the Arab region and globally, as it has done for more than four decades. This award motivates us to push boundaries further, enhancing our offerings and raising the bar amidst the ongoing global digital revolution.”

Sara Loane, Creative Director at Al Majalla, expressed her gratitude, stating: “We are honoured to represent the Arab world on an international stage and to have our illustrations recognised among such prestigious news publications. Illustrations should not only complement editorial features, but also evoke new emotions and perspectives. Since relaunching, our team has been dedicated to seamlessly blending innovative visuals with compelling storytelling to enrich our readers’ experience and understanding of the most pressing regional and global issues.”

Al Majalla relaunched in 2023 to engage a younger, digitally connected audience on the platforms they prefer, while also delivering high-quality reporting on issues shaping the world today. Over the past year, Al Majalla’s coverage has provided readers with exclusive insights, including a special edition on Saudi-US relations, features on Kuwait, Yemen, Iraq and the re-emergence of Syria in regional affairs and rising regional tensions, behind-the-scenes access to secret documents and letters between Saddam Hussein and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, both before and during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

As a result, Al Majalla has become one of the most frequently cited Arab publications by highly respected international news outlets, including BBC News, USA Today and The Guardian.