For Rawan Ahmed, a third-year secondary student at an Azhari school in Damietta, Jan. 28 was a special occasion. On that day, Sheikh Ahmad al-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, honored her not for her success at school, but because of drawings she had made.

“I was thrilled when Al-Azhar’s grand imam expressed admiration for my drawings and portraits,” Ahmed told Al-Monitor. “He advised me to develop my skill.” 

Ahmed was among 12 students from Al-Azhar-affiliated schools and universities selected to present their artistic works in the Al-Azhar pavilion at the 50th Cairo International Book Fair, held Jan. 23 to Feb. 5. For the fair, Ahmed, who has loved drawing since she was a child, displayed drawings of a sad-looking boy behind prison bars and a young woman holding flowers.

“This is not my first time participating in the fair,” Ahmed said, “but this is the first time ever to see with my own eyes the grand imam’s praise and admiration for our works.” Tayeb presented participants with certificates of appreciation to encourage them to continue to develop their talents, and he also raised the possibility of Al-Azhar establishing a faculty for fine arts.