(MENAFNEditorial)
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan named Influential Media Personality in Government Communication
Sharjah, UAE, March 23, 2017: His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council, last night (Wednesday, March 22) honoured the winning government entities and individuals in the fourth Sharjah Government Communication Award (GCA 2017) held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council. The winners received their trophies during the closing ceremony of GCA 2017 that took place at Al Majaz Amphitheatre on the first day of the Sixth International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2017).
Several senior government officials, government communication directors at the ministries and federal bodies and local departments, as well as media representatives from within and outside the country, attended the event.
GCA's Judging Panel, headed by HE Ibrahim Al Abed, Advisor to National Media Council's Chairman, selected HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Cabinet Member and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as Influential Media Personality in Government Communication for the Arab Region.
HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan was selected due to his significant contributions to devising the UAE's foreign policy that is characterised by neutralism, moderation, respect for the sovereignty of other countries, and respect for international laws and the humanitarian principles of the United Nations. HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan has also succeeded in supporting the UAE leadership's efforts in enhancing the concept of soft power to boost the country's reputation, increase its transparency among nations of the world, and build on the friendly relations with other countries and civilisations.
Furthermore, he has contributed significantly to developing the government communication sector. He started his media career as Undersecretary in the Ministry of Information and Culture in 1995, and then assumed the position of Minister of Information and Culture in 1997. He is also the former Chairman of the National Media Council.
Thanking the Sharjah Government Media Bureau for the honour, HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: 'Although I'm not a media personality, in today's day and age, we are all compelled to deal with the media, both traditional and modern, on a regular basis. I believe that we all face a major challenge posed by social media. This challenge is credibility. Each one of us can reach out to the world using social media today, but we also need to be true to ourselves.
The award was received on his behalf by ?HE Mohammed Mir Al Raisi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Speaking on the occasion, HE Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council, said: 'Communication has been and continues to be the first pillar of social relations since humanity developed an organised social structure. By practicing and developing the concept of government communication, Sharjah aims to restore the social role and developmental dimension of communication.
He added: 'Every submission presented to the Sharjah Government Communication Award has been a testament to the ability of individuals and entities participating in this year's edition to add the necessary human dimension to modern communication and its tools to maintain a healthy social fabric.
The Chairman of Sharjah Media Council said that since its inception, the Award has received hundreds of applications from entities and individuals across the UAE and the wider GCC region, reflecting the success of the Award and the depth of awareness among government entities of the importance of communication in achieving their goals. It also reinforces that communication in general occupies an advanced position in the interest of the GCC countries.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi also unveiled on this occasion a first-of-its-kind book in the Arab world by Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) titled 'Best Practices in Government Communication'. The book gives an outline of and recounts the best experiences and case studies presented by the contestants on the various categories of the Award from the previous three editions of GCA.
Sami Al Reyami, Editor-in-Chief of Emarat Al Youm newspaper and member of the jury of the Award, spoke on behalf of the jury, thanking HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, for his efforts to improve the government communication system in the UAE and the Arab region.
He also thanked HH Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Executive Council, for his continuous support and follow-up of the Award since its inception.
Al Reyami said that the Sharjah Government Communication Award has undergone several stages of development with regard to its performance, categories and conditions. At the same time, the arbitration mechanisms of the Award have evolved to match the level of trust that has been received from various government entities in the UAE and abroad. Al Reyami noted that the Award has augmented its categories and added a new category for journalists, in addition to providing the opportunity for the GCC countries to participate in two categories.
The Editor-in-Chief of Emarat Al Youm noted a 36% surge in participation in the Award compared to last year, with 179 case studies being received in all categories compared to 132 files in the last edition.
The 13 categories of this year's GCA edition have been divided into two groups. The first group is dedicated to the Arab region and includes two categories - Media Personality and Leadership in Media. The second group includes 11 nominated categories, three of which are dedicated to government entities in Sharjah, five are focused on entities and individuals in the UAE, and two are dedicated to government entities in GCC countries including the UAE, while one category, Best Media Crisis Management, was dropped because it received one case study only.
The judging panel presented Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper with the Leadership in Media Award for its notable impact on public opinion, its objectivity, its focus on Arab and human issues, and its role in providing an important window of knowledge and hosting influential regional and international writers. Headed by numerous reputable names in the Arab journalism landscape, the newspaper has succeeded in making a remarkable journalistic impact.
Among the nominated categories, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) received the Best Practice in Government Communication in Sharjah award, with the Directorate of Human Resources in Sharjah and Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry assuming second and third places respectively.
Eng Khalifa Misbah Al Tunaiji, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Housing and Member of the Sharjah Executive Council, received the Best Official Spokesperson in Sharjah award.
Sharjah's Directorate of Housing bagged the Best Government Website in Sharjah award, with the Sharjah Airport Authority coming second, and the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority achieving the third place.
The Ministry of Presidential Affairs' National Archives received the Best Government Communication Strategy in the UAE award, while Dubai Chamber of Commerce assumed second place, followed by Sharjah's Directorate of Town Planning and Survey in third position. The Best Government Social Media Engagement, UAE and GCC award went to the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, followed by Abu Dhabi's Judicial Department and Bahrain's Ministry of Information Affairs. Furthermore, Khalil Saqer bin Gharib, Director of Corporate Communication Department at Dubai Customs, received the Best Graduation Project and Research on Government Communication award.
Dubai Municipality bagged the Best Government Intercommunication Practice in the UAE award, followed by the Sharjah Documentation and Archives Authority and the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health received the Best Government Communication Campaign in the UAE and GCC award, with the Kuwait Flour Mills and Bakeries Company and Bahrain's Information and eGovernment Authority assuming second and third places respectively.
The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment received the Best Government Communication Campaign outside the UAE award, while the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority came second, and the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the third position. Ahmed Abdulhamid Al Ansari, a journalist from Emarat Al Youm newspaper, bagged the Best Press Report/Feature in the UAE award, a category that has been added for the first time this year.
Since it was launched in 2012 under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the Sharjah Government Communication Award has highlighted accomplishments of individuals and entities in the government communication sector to drive best professional practices in this vital sector in the UAE and the wider GCC region.
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