Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and following the directives of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the National Olympic Committee, alongside Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chair of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, attended the ceremony honoring the winners of the “Arab Media Award” in its 24th edition. The event was organized by the Dubai Press Club, representing the award’s secretariat, and took place concurrently with the second day of the “Arab Media Summit” at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The ceremony was attended by the Lebanese Prime Minister, Dr. Nawaf Salam, along with numerous editors-in-chief, media leaders from UAE, Arab and international press, and prominent writers and media figures from the Arab world.
On this occasion, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum expressed that “the Arab Media Award embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for establishing Dubai as a leading hub for Arab media, creating an advanced media platform, and fostering an environment that nurtures excellence and creativity in this crucial sector which is fundamental to supporting development and enhancing awareness in our communities.”
He added that celebrating a distinguished group of media professionals today highlights their dedication, commitment to professional values, and their role in providing content that elevates societal awareness and responsibly reflects the issues facing our nations. The winning works this year exemplified professionalism, credibility, and innovation.
He further stated that honoring this elite group of journalists stems from a profound belief in the media’s essential role in preserving national identity, fostering a culture of dialogue, and contributing to building a more aware and cohesive future. He noted, “Dubai has become a primary destination for harnessing the talents of Arab media professionals, allowing them to thrive within an environment that celebrates excellence and honors true achievements, thereby enhancing the media’s role as a key partner in comprehensive development.”
Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, alongside Mona Ghanem Al Merri, Vice Chair of the Dubai Media Council and President of the Dubai Press Club, honored Iraqi journalist Fakhri Karim, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of the Al Mada Foundation for Media, Culture, and Arts, who was awarded the title of “Media Personality of the Year” in recognition of his long career and efforts in serving Arab media and culture, as well as enriching the Arab media landscape.
Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, alongside Mona Ghanem Al Merri, recognized Egyptian journalist Suleiman Gaud from “Al-Masry Al-Youm,” who received the Arab Journalism Award for Best Columnist due to his unique style in addressing contemporary issues and providing balanced perspectives that combine sound opinion with deep analysis, along with his significant contributions to enriching the Arab journalistic scene. She also honored the winners of various categories within the visual media awards.
A total of nine awards were presented across different categories, recognizing outstanding work from various journalists and major media institutions in the Arab world. With this latest round of awards, the total number of honored individuals since the inception of the award has reached 361 journalists and media organizations.
Sheikha Latifa, alongside Mona Ghanem Al Merri, also recognized winners in the visual media awards, where the program “Business with Lubna” from Sky News Arabia received the award for Best Economic Program, presented by Lubna Bozah, the show’s host.
The award for Best Social Program in visual media went to “Sabah Al-Arabiya” from Al-Arabiya, presented by Reem Basati, while “Sahibat Al-Saada,” aired on the DMC channel, received the award for Best Cultural Program, awarded to presenter Es’ad Younis.
The award for Best Sports Program was given to “Hajma Martida” from Sky News Arabia, accepted by presenter Mousa Al-Blushi.
Additionally, the documentary film “Under the Rubble,” broadcast on the “Sharq” channel, won the award for Best Documentary Work in visual media, received by Mohamed Al-Youssi, General Manager of both Sharq Documentary and Sharq Discovery Channels.
Abdullah Al-Hamed, Chairman of the National Media Office and Chairman of the UAE Media Council, and Dr. Meitha Buhumaid, Secretary-General of the Arab Media Award, presented the Arab Journalism Awards to winners including Muhammad Eissa from Al-Ahram Magazine for Political Journalism for his outstanding investigative piece titled “Drones… The Shadow of the Coming Threat,” and Samah Al-Laboudi from “Asharq Al-Awsat” for Investigative Journalism for his noteworthy report “The Last Voyage of the Infamous Salt Vessel.” Also honored were the duo Saeed Ziyada and Muhammad Salman from “Youm7” for Economic Journalism for their article “The Maze of Cryptocurrencies Starts with a ‘Like’.”
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum posed for a commemorative group photo with all the winners across various categories.
For her part, Mona Ghanem Al Merri congratulated all the winners this year across all categories of the “Arab Media Award,” affirming that the award embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in establishing Dubai as a pivotal center for Arab media and a leading platform for honoring excellence and creativity in this vital sector.
She stated, “Today’s celebration of the winners in this 24th edition of the award highlights the honorable careers of media professionals and institutions that have made significant impacts on the Arab media landscape, successfully presenting benchmarks of professionalism, credibility, and influence.”
She further added, “The winning works epitomize admirable models of Arab media creativity and exhibit a high commitment to professional standards and a purposeful media mission.” She emphasized that since its inception, the award has been and continues to be a leading platform for honoring media excellence in the Arab world, serving as a mirror reflecting the evolution of this vital sector and its significant role in shaping awareness and building bridges of communication among communities.
She remarked, “At the Dubai Press Club, we believe that media is a partner in development and a powerful force in shaping societal awareness and we are proud that the award has become a mirror reflecting the level of development achieved by media in our region and encourages positive competition while continuously elevating professional standards.”
These awards culminate in recognizing media excellence across various fields and reflect the award’s commitment to highlighting professional creativity and upholding noble journalistic values in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
The Arab Media Award, organized by the Dubai Press Club, is the foremost media recognition within the Arab world, serving as a prestigious platform that shines a light on creative media talents and impactful professional initiatives that parallel the fast-paced transformations in the media arena.
This year, the total number of submissions for the award exceeded 2,900 entries from various Arab countries.