Read with Hamsa – The Outstanding Creative Student” From Reading to Creativity… From Creativity to Excellence and Openness to the World Hamsa Sama Al-Thaqafa International Organization – Denmark

“Read with Hamsa – The Outstanding Creative Student”

From Reading to Creativity… From Creativity to Excellence and Openness to the World

Hamsa Sama Al-Thaqafa International Organization – Denmark

Introduction

The “Outstanding Creative Student” project is one of the important educational and cultural initiatives in the history of Hamsa Sama Al-Thaqafa International Organization.

Over the years, the project developed from a competition designed to discover students’ talents into an international cultural experience combining literary and artistic creativity, recognition, publication, cultural exchange, and intercultural engagement.

In 2023, the Organization launched “Read with Hamsa”, adding a new dimension to this journey by placing reading at the foundation of knowledge, language, and critical thinking, leading naturally toward expression, creativity, and excellence.

The project can therefore be understood today as an integrated educational and cultural pathway:

Reading → Knowledge → Expression → Creativity → Excellence → Openness to the World

1. The Beginning of the “Creative Student” Project – 2015

The documented beginnings of the “Creative Student” competition date back to December 2015, when Hamsa Sama Al-Thaqafa launched the initiative with the aim of discovering students’ talents and encouraging them to express their literary and creative abilities.

The early fields of participation included:

• Short stories.
• Poetry.
• Literary reflections.
• Creative writing.
• Other creative fields that developed as the project expanded.

The initiative was never intended simply to organize a competition and announce winners. Its purpose was to provide talented students with a space for expression, introduce their abilities to the community, and encourage them to continue developing their talents.

From its early stages, the project expanded into different educational and community environments, including Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Denmark, and other locations.

2. The Project as an International Initiative

From its early stages, the project developed beyond the boundaries of a single school or country.

Through its representatives, coordinators, and educational and cultural partners, Hamsa worked to reach students, organize competitions and qualifying stages, and identify emerging talents.

The central idea was that:

A student’s talent should not be limited by the geographical place in which that student was born.

This led to one of the project’s most distinctive elements:

Transforming student excellence into an international cultural experience.

A student who demonstrated excellence in writing, poetry, or the arts was not simply given a certificate or an award. The student could also be offered an opportunity to experience another culture, meet peers from different backgrounds, and present their creative work to a new audience.

3. Denmark – A Major Milestone in the Project

Denmark became one of the most important international destinations in the history of the Outstanding Creative Student project.

In 2016, Hamsa expanded the project in Denmark through Arabic schools in Copenhagen. Students participated in a variety of fields, including:

• Poetry.
• Literature.
• Literary reflections.
• Music.
• Theatre.
• Other forms of artistic creativity.

This demonstrated the Organization’s broader understanding of creativity, which extended beyond literary writing to include artistic and performance-based talents.

Denmark also hosted students who had excelled in the project, giving them opportunities to learn about Danish culture and educational practices and to meet peers from Arab communities living in Denmark.

Denmark therefore became more than a destination. It became a space for cultural learning and intercultural exchange.

4. Denmark and Sweden – 2017

In 2017, the international dimension of the project expanded to include both Denmark and Sweden.

The two countries hosted creative students for approximately one week as part of a cultural and educational program.

The experience included visits, meetings, cultural activities, and opportunities for students to learn about Scandinavian society and interact with Arab and Palestinian communities.

Malmö, Sweden, was one of the important destinations of the program, where students presented their creative work and participated in cultural activities and a recognition ceremony.

The project had therefore developed a clear educational principle:

Student creativity can become a bridge for cultural exchange between Palestine and Europe.

5. From “Creative Student” to “Outstanding Creative Student”

As the project developed, the institutional concept of:

“Outstanding Creative Student”

became increasingly established.

The concept went beyond identifying talent to viewing the student as a developing individual who needs:

• Encouragement.
• Training.
• Guidance.
• Publication opportunities.
• Recognition.
• Cultural openness.
• Communication with others.

Schools, educators, writers, and judging committees became part of the process of identifying and evaluating talented students.

This gave the project a stronger educational and cultural structure.

6. Palestine – A Foundation for Discovering Talent

Schools and educational institutions in Palestine became one of the most important environments for the project.

Activities extended to several areas, including:

• Galilee.
• The Triangle region.
• The Negev.
• Jerusalem.
• Other Palestinian communities.

Hamsa cooperated with schools, municipalities, community centers, and educational departments to organize qualifying stages and identify outstanding students.

This local stage was essential for discovering talents before they moved into the international stages of the project.

The project therefore developed a clear pathway:

School → Qualification → Evaluation → Excellence → Recognition → International Experience

7. France – Paris, 2018

In 2018, the Outstanding Creative Student project reached another major European destination: France.

Hamsa Sama Al-Thaqafa International Organization, in cooperation with the International Association for Intellectual and Cultural Creativity in France, organized a cultural and educational program for creative students in Paris.

The program included visits to important cultural and historical landmarks, including:

• The Louvre Museum.
• The Palace of Versailles.
• The Eiffel Tower.
• The Arc de Triomphe.
• The Latin Quarter.
• Saint-Michel.
• Other cultural and historical sites.

The visit was not simply recreational. It was designed as an educational, cultural, and civilizational experience, allowing students to explore French history, art, and culture.

8. The Creative Student Delegation in France

In 2018, the Embassy of the State of Palestine in France received the Outstanding Creative Student delegation under the sponsorship of Hamsa Sama Al-Thaqafa International Organization.

The delegation included 23 students from the Galilee, the Triangle region, Jerusalem, and the Negev.

A cultural and literary meeting was held at the Embassy, where the students presented their creative work, alongside a program introducing them to Paris and its cultural and historical landmarks.

This highlighted one of the most important dimensions of the project:

Enabling students to carry their culture and creativity from their local communities into the international sphere.

The student was not simply travelling as a tourist, but participating as a young creator representing a language, culture, and lived experience.

9. Cultural Travel as Part of the Award

One of the distinctive features of the Outstanding Creative Student project was that recognition did not end with a certificate.

Hamsa sought to make excellence an opportunity for:

A new cultural and human experience.

Students were introduced to:

• New cultures.
• Different educational systems.
• New social environments.
• Peers from different backgrounds.
• Museums and historical landmarks.
• Artistic and literary experiences.
• Arab communities living abroad.

In this sense, the award itself became a learning experience.

10. Student Creativity and Cultural Identity

The project’s openness to Europe was never intended to come at the expense of cultural identity.

Rather, the objective was to teach students how to:

Open themselves to the world without losing their roots.

A Palestinian or Arab student visiting Denmark, Sweden, or France carried with them their language, literature, poetry, stories, and social experience.

At the same time, they encountered different cultures and learned that difference can become an opportunity for dialogue and learning.

Three concepts therefore became closely connected within the project:

Creativity – Identity – Intercultural Dialogue

11. Publication as an Extension of the Competition

Hamsa did not stop at identifying talented students.

Its media platform provided opportunities to publish examples of students’ literary and creative work, making the Organization’s website an additional space for presenting emerging young talents.

The pathway therefore became:

Participation → Talent Discovery → Evaluation → Recognition → Publication → Continuity

This was important because the ultimate goal was to encourage creativity beyond the competition itself.

12. Examples of Young Talents

The project produced examples of students who continued their creative and literary journeys after participating.

One documented example is Adam Baria, who was recognized among the Creative Student talents and later continued his literary work, eventually publishing and signing his novel.

Such continuity represents one of the strongest indicators of the project’s value:

The student continues creating after the competition ends.

13. Denmark, Sweden, and France – The European Dimension

The experiences developed in:

Denmark

then:

Denmark and Sweden

and later:

France

became an essential part of the identity of the Outstanding Creative Student project.

These destinations created an integrated experience combining:

Student Creativity + Cultural Travel + Intercultural Encounter + Cultural Identity + Learning from Others

The presence of the project in these countries was therefore not a secondary feature, but one of its defining characteristics.

14. Moving into the Digital Sphere

The COVID-19 pandemic brought new challenges to the project.

International travel and in-person activities became difficult, but communication with students continued.

In 2020, Hamsa Net International Platform hosted special meetings for creative students, including the event:

“Distance Separated Us, Words Brought Us Together”

Students spoke about their experiences, including their cultural journeys to Denmark, Sweden, and France.

Some also presented poetry, literary texts, and artistic talents.

The project therefore demonstrated its ability to move from in-person cultural travel to digital communication without losing its essential purpose.

15. Continued Qualifying Activities and Student Programs

Hamsa continued organizing student competitions, qualifying stages, and activities in Palestine in cooperation with schools, municipalities, community centers, and cultural and educational institutions.

Judging committees included specialists in language, literature, and culture, supporting the assessment and identification of outstanding students.

In later stages, activities connected with the Creative Student Conference and student gatherings continued, demonstrating that the project was not limited to a single period.

16. “Read with Hamsa” – A New Stage

On 4 May 2023, Hamsa Sama Al-Thaqafa International Organization launched:

“Read with Hamsa”

in Arab schools in the Palestinian territories inside Israel.

The initiative began at Muawiya Elementary School through a book exhibition carrying the initiative’s name.

This marked a new stage in the project.

If the Outstanding Creative Student represents the outcome of talent, then reading represents one of the environments in which that talent can grow.

17. The Philosophy of “Read with Hamsa”

The initiative emerged at a time when reading and books faced increasing competition from electronic devices, games, and screens.

Its purpose was to return books to children’s daily lives and encourage schools to create genuine reading environments.

Reading was also connected with the development of:

• Vocabulary.
• Imagination.
• Critical thinking.
• Self-expression.
• Opinion formation.
• Creativity.
• Communication.

Reading therefore became an educational gateway to creativity rather than a separate activity.

18. The Five-Year Book Project

“Read with Hamsa” was announced as a five-year initiative, through which 100 books would be donated annually to each participating school.

The initiative was established as a donation in memory of Dr. Fatma Abu Wasel Agbaria’s parents, together with her siblings, with the aim of enriching school libraries and reading corners with books and stories.

This detail is important in understanding the evolution of the project:

The Outstanding Creative Student discovers talent.

Read with Hamsa builds the environment in which talent can grow.

19. The Relationship between the Two Initiatives

Bringing “Outstanding Creative Student” and “Read with Hamsa” together under one institutional project does not mean that they carried the same name from the beginning.

The historical record shows that they emerged at different stages:

2015: Launch of the Creative Student competitions.

2016–2018: Expansion of the project and its international dimension, including major destinations in Denmark, Sweden, and France.

2019–2021: Continued activities, cultural experiences, student engagement, and eventual transition to digital communication during the pandemic.

2023: Launch of “Read with Hamsa” as a new stage focused on reading and building a cultural environment for children.

Their integration therefore represents an integration of educational vision and developmental pathway, rather than a claim that they were originally one project under one name.

20. The Integrated Educational Pathway

The project can now be understood as a progressive educational and cultural system:

1. Read

The book is the starting point.

2. Learn

Knowledge and language develop.

3. Think

Critical and independent thinking grows.

4. Express

Students learn to write, speak, and communicate their ideas.

5. Create

Literary and artistic talents emerge.

6. Excel

Talent is recognized and celebrated.

7. Explore

The student experiences cultures beyond their immediate environment.

8. Dialogue

The student encounters others and shares their own culture.

9. Continue

Creativity continues beyond the competition.

21. The International Dimension

One of the project’s most distinctive features is that it did not view the student merely as a recipient of education.

The student was approached as:

a reader, a creator, a young intellectual, and a cultural ambassador.

Through cultural programs and international experiences in Denmark, Sweden, and France, students became part of an experience extending beyond the classroom.

This is consistent with Hamsa’s broader vision of building bridges between cultures and connecting Arab communities abroad with their cultural roots and with the societies in which they live.

22. Major Milestones

2015

Launch of the Creative Student competitions.

2016

Expansion of the project, with Denmark becoming a major destination for student hosting and cultural programs.

2017

Expansion to Denmark and Sweden, with cultural programs, visits, and activities in both countries.

2018

Expansion to France – Paris, where a delegation of creative students participated in a cultural and civilizational program.

2019–2020

Continuation of activities, cultural journeys, and student engagement, followed by a transition to digital communication during the pandemic.

2020

Digital meetings with creative students, including “Distance Separated Us, Words Brought Us Together.”

2021

Continuation of student qualifying activities and programs in Palestine.

2023

Launch of “Read with Hamsa”, together with a long-term initiative to support school libraries and provide books.

23. The Educational Value of the Project

The project’s fundamental value lies in its understanding of creativity not merely as an individual talent, but as the result of an educational and cultural environment.

A child needs:

A book to read,
a teacher to encourage them,
a community to discover them,
an institution to provide opportunities,
a platform to share their voice,
and an experience to broaden their horizons.

The project seeks to bring these elements together within one educational and cultural framework.

24. The Message of the Project

The project can be summarized through one central principle:

Every child has the potential for creativity, but talent needs someone to discover it and provide an opportunity for it to grow.

Reading is one of the most important ways through which children can discover themselves, develop their language and imagination, and strengthen their ability to create.

For this reason, “Read with Hamsa – Outstanding Creative Student” is not simply about producing competition winners. It seeks to develop:

a reader, a creator, a thinker, and a young person open to the world.

Conclusion

Read to Create… Create to Shape the Future

Over the years, Hamsa Sama Al-Thaqafa International Organization has developed an educational and cultural project that began with competitions designed to discover student talents and evolved into an international experience connecting creativity with cultural and civilizational exchange.

The journey began in 2015 with the Creative Student initiative. It then expanded to Denmark, continued through Denmark and Sweden, and reached France, where creative students experienced cultural and educational programs that allowed them to explore the world and present their creativity and cultural identity.

These journeys were not merely rewards for competition winners. They formed part of an educational philosophy based on the belief that:

Travel is learning, difference is an opportunity for understanding, dialogue is culture, and creativity is a shared language among peoples.

In 2023, “Read with Hamsa” added a new dimension by placing reading at the beginning of the journey, returning books to the heart of the school environment, supporting school libraries, and encouraging children to read, think, develop their language, and create.

The vision therefore becomes complete:

Read → Learn → Think → Express → Create → Excel → Explore the World

At its heart, “Read with Hamsa – Outstanding Creative Student” is a project for building the human being from childhood: a young person who knows their language and culture, believes in their ability to create, respects other cultures, and can carry their voice into the wider world.

And this is the message of Hamsa:

Read to Create… Create to Shape the Future.