Huawei has announced the return of the global Huawei XMAGE Awards, inviting smartphone photography enthusiasts worldwide to showcase their creativity and visual storytelling between March 23 and August 16. The highly anticipated competition celebrates the art of mobile imaging and the power of photography to capture meaningful human moments. The announcement follows the remarkable success of the Huawei XMAGE Awards 2025, which culminated in a prestigious ceremony at the iconic Grand Palais in Paris on November 12. The ceremony took place alongside the globally renowned Paris Photo, bringing together photography enthusiasts, artists, and industry leaders from across the world.
Last year’s awards saw an overwhelming response, attracting more than 740,000 submissions from creators across multiple countries and regions. From this impressive pool of entries, 100 outstanding images were selected as winners, highlighting the extraordinary creativity and storytelling potential enabled by smartphone photography. The event also featured The World, You and Me Annual Imaging Exhibition, further reinforcing Huawei’s vision of expanding mobile photography beyond technology and into the realm of culture, creativity, and global artistic dialogue. With around 100,000 visitors attending Paris Photo each year, the event provided a powerful international platform for photographers to share their perspectives and connect with the wider creative community.
Among the winners celebrated on the global stage were two talented photographers from the United Arab Emirates, Grace Montives and Mark Anthony Agtay, whose captivating images earned international recognition among hundreds of thousands of submissions. Their achievement highlights the growing influence of mobile photography in the UAE and reflects the vibrant community of creatives using Huawei’s advanced imaging technology to capture authentic stories and everyday moments. Their success serves as an inspiration for photography enthusiasts across the region to share their own perspectives through the lens of Huawei smartphones.
Building on this momentum, Huawei will also launch a dedicated local photography contest in the UAE, running in parallel with the global XMAGE Awards submission period. The initiative aims to inspire photography lovers, creators, and emerging talents across the country to capture the beauty, diversity, and unique stories of life in the UAE. By encouraging Huawei smartphone users to participate and submit their best images, the local contest seeks to further strengthen the UAE’s presence in the global XMAGE community while celebrating the creativity of the region’s photography enthusiasts.
The UAE contest will feature exciting prizes for the most compelling photographs, offering participants an additional platform to showcase their talent and creativity. Full details about the local competition, including categories, submission guidelines, and prize announcements, will be revealed soon across Huawei’s official social media platforms. Photography enthusiasts are encouraged to stay tuned for updates and participation opportunities. Through both the global XMAGE Awards and the UAE initiative, Huawei continues to empower users to transform everyday moments into powerful visual stories that connect people and cultures worldwide.
