LONDON: Arab News, Saudi Arabia’s first English language daily, won three Awards of Excellence at the sixth Newspaper Design competition, bringing the total number of awards to 125 since its relaunch in 2018.
“The Kingdom’s Bride and Joy”, a special print edition marking the Jordanian royal wedding, won the Best of Page One award, while “Riyadh: A city steeped in history” took home the prize for Best of Double Page Spreads, and “Accession to the British Throne” scooped the Best of Infographics recognition for the special coverage of King Charles III’s coronation last year.
Established in 2009, the distinguished Newspaper Design is Asia’s inaugural newspaper design website, acknowledging outstanding contributions to news design in both print and online media.
Chaired by Mario Garcia, a globally renowned Cuban-American media designer, this year’s jury praised Arab News’ entries for their innovation and visual storytelling prowess.
“The Kingdom’s Bride and Joy” page, commemorating the historic union between Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Saudi Arabia’s Rajwa Al-Saif, was lauded for its cinematic illustration capturing the significance of the occasion. The judges said: “This page marks a historic occasion and captures the sweep and significance with a polished illustration that looks more like a well-directed movie poster than just a newspaper centerpiece.”
Similarly, the design spotlighting Riyadh’s National Day and Arab News’ Expo 2030 campaign was commended for its innovative blend of landscape photography and illustration, seamlessly narrating the city’s story.
Arab News’ coverage of King Charles III’s coronation ceremony last May earned recognition for its elegant and celebratory infographics. In December, the page was also recognized within the category Supplements for Special Occasions at the European Newspaper Awards.
The accolades underscore Arab News’ editorial evolution under Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas, who spearheaded its relaunch in 2018.
Under the guidance of Design Department head Omar Nashashibi, Arab News continues to receive acclaim, recently earning multiple honors at the prestigious 59th Annual Society of Publications Designers, including for its feature opener “Onions’ tears and inflation fears” page and custom feature design for the special investigation “The Kingdom vs Captagon.”
Past recognitions encompass a range of special projects, including multiple international awards for “Saudi’s Animal Kingdom,” “Step by Step Hajj Guide 2023,” and the “FIFA Qatar World Cup 2022” special edition.
For more information about Arab News and its award-winning projects, visit https://www.arabnews.com/greatesthits.
