Born on November 18
International Day of Islamic Art
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Next: November 18, 2026
Where it comes from
The International Day of Islamic Art was proclaimed by UNESCO's General Conference at its 40th session in 2019, on a proposal from the Kingdom of Bahrain, and was first celebrated on 18 November 2020.
How it's celebrated
Museums, cultural bodies and universities hold exhibitions, talks and workshops. For the first edition in 2020, ICESCO ran a week of virtual exhibitions, literary salons and Arabic calligraphy competitions, and the Comoros held a three-day exhibition at its National Museum.
Did you know
Kuala Lumpur's Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, opened in December 1998, is the largest museum of Islamic art in Southeast Asia.
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