BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Brunei Darussalam celebrated the achievements of its young artists at the 27th International High School Arts Festival 2026 in Tokyo, Japan, an annual event organised by the International Foundation for Arts and Culture (IFAC) that provides a platform for senior high school students to showcase their creative talents on a global stage.
Each year, between 10,000 and 15,000 artworks from around the world are submitted, with only the top 500 selected for exhibition at the National Art Centre in Tokyo.
This year, four artworks from Brunei were among those selected, representing the diverse creativity and cultural perspectives of the nation.
Representing the nation at the awards ceremony was Sengkurong Sixth Form Centre student Siti Nurhasmah Rabiatul binti Muhammad Zulkamal, who earned first place in the national selection with her artwork ‘Adai-Adai’.
On August 5, 2026, she was presented with the prestigious award at The Ritz-Carlton in Tokyo.
In her acceptance speech, she expressed her thanks to IFAC for hosting the festival that unites young artists worldwide, to her family and art teacher for their support, and to the Ministry of Education and organising committee for granting her the opportunity.
Siti Nurhasmah Rabiatul’s recognition marks another proud milestone for the school, following the achievement of Sengkurong Sixth Form Centre students Aina Adrianna binti Ariffeen and Asrol bin Purot, who received the same honour the previous year.
In addition to the piece by Siti Nurhasmah Rabiatul, three other artworks from Brunei are also being showcased at the National Art Centre in Tokyo.
The second- and third-place winners were Sengkurong Sixth Form Centre students Muhammad Syafiq Aiman bin Rosmadi and Iffa Nadia binti Suhaimy, while the fourth-place winner was Sayyidina Ali Secondary School student Muhammad Danish Qawi bin Mohammad Hairul Iswandi.- Borneo Bbulletain
