The Palestinian Ministry of Culture, in partnership with the Palestinian Museum, marks the tenth anniversary of the passing of the renowned Palestinian cartoonist Baha Boukhari (1944–2015), who passed away in Ramallah on 29 October 2015.
This commemoration pays tribute to Boukhari’s rich artistic legacy and his pioneering role in addressing national and human issues. It includes the launch of the Baha Boukhari Award for Caricature, established to honour the late artist’s legacy and to continue his artistic and humanitarian message.
The award aims to encourage young talents and support caricature artists while promoting awareness of caricature as a form of artistic expression and a means of social and political critique. The competition will be held annually, with the results of the first edition to be announced on 13 January 2026, the artist’s birthday, coinciding with the opening of a comprehensive retrospective exhibition documenting his works across fine art, children’s illustration, and caricature.
The launch of the award is accompanied by a curated show titled A Window into Al-Boukhari’s World, which highlights the artist’s distinctive visual and human imprint. The show features selected original drawings and sketches that reveal his creative process, along with parts of his personal archive and belongings that document his long and influential career in the art of caricature.
Born in Jerusalem in 1944, Boukhari is regarded as one of the most prominent caricaturists in Palestine and the Arab world. His professional career began in 1964 with the Kuwaiti newspapers Al Rai and Al Anbaa, and later continued with the Palestinian newspapers Al-Quds and Al-Ayyam. Throughout his career, he remained deeply committed to depicting and defending the cause of his people.
Boukhari became known for creating several iconic caricature characters, including Abu Al-Abed, symbolising the Palestinian people; Um Al-Abed, representing the homeland; and Abu Arab, embodying Arab governments and regimes. He also created the beloved children’s characters Naaman and Malsoon for the Gulf version of Iftah Ya Simsim in 1980.
Throughout his prolific career, Boukhari received numerous local and international awards, including the Order of Culture, Arts and Science – Level of Creativity (Palestine, 2015), the Jerusalem Award for Culture and Creativity (2015), the Golden Pen Award from the Cannes Festival in France (2014), the Courage Award from the United States (2008), and the Golden Feather Award from Kuwait (1976).
Reflecting on his passion for caricature, Boukhari once said: “I believe caricature chose me before I chose it”. He also emphasised the medium’s artistic and journalistic significance, saying: “Freedom is the lung through which journalists in general, and caricaturists in particular, breathe”.
The Ministry of Culture affirms that commemorating this anniversary is an act of loyalty to an artistic and national figure whose pen and brush became a voice of truth and a mirror of reality. His legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.
The Palestinian Ministry of Culture and the Palestinian Museum
