The President of the State honors 10 personalities with the “Abu Dhabi Award” on the twentieth anniversary of its launch

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him, honored ten personalities with charitable initiatives with the “Abu Dhabi Award” in its twelfth session, in appreciation of their noble contributions that left a positive impact on the UAE society, coinciding with the “Year of Society 2025.”

During the honoring ceremony, which was held at Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi, the inspiring stories of the honorees were highlighted, which establishes a culture of giving and solidarity, and confirms that giving is not linked to a specific age, profession, or group, but rather is a human value capable of making a positive change in society.

On this occasion, His Highness the President of the State congratulated those honored with the award, praising their giving and inspiring contributions to community service, which constitute a source of inexhaustible goodness and giving.

On the twentieth anniversary of the launch of the award, His Highness said, “We celebrate the creators of goodness and hope, and we express our appreciation to everyone who instills the values ​​of goodness and contributes to enhancing the spirit of cooperation, dedication, and shared societal responsibility that characterizes Emirati society.”

Over the course of two decades, the Abu Dhabi Award has formed a national platform that embodies the values ​​of goodness, altruism and appreciation rooted in the society of the UAE. Its vision is inspired by the approach of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul. It continues its journey under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, may God protect him.

Since its launch in 2005, the Abu Dhabi Award has highlighted 110 personalities from 18 different nationalities, and their contributions included several fields such as health care, volunteer work, education, preservation of culture and heritage, environmental protection, and empowerment of people of determination, embodying its noble message that is renewed in this session coinciding with the “Year of Society 2025,” which aims to consolidate the values ​​​​of cohesion and solidarity that characterize the UAE society.

The ceremony was attended by His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, His Highness Sheikh Hamid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office for Development Affairs and Families of Martyrs, and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chief of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, His Excellency Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, Advisor to His Highness the President of the State, His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor to His Highness the President of the State, along with the families of the honorees and the award’s partners and supporters.

The list of honorees in the twelfth session of the award included prominent figures who left a positive impact on UAE society, and they are:

– Obaid Kanish Al Hameli: He is considered one of the pioneers of charitable, development and community work in the UAE. He is an Emirati businessman whose career was full of giving despite the difficult times he lived through losing his parents since his childhood. He worked in the 1960s as a field guide for oil exploration teams in the Al Dhafra region, and his contributions extended to the fields of education and social development, as he was one of the first to encourage the people of Al Dhafra to receive education and complete their scientific studies. In 1998, he launched the “Obaid Award.” Bin Kneish Al Hameli Foundation for Excellence and Educational Excellence, which is the first of its kind in the Al Dhafra region, contributed to encouraging students and teachers to be creative and distinguished and enhanced the level of education in the region.

Moza Mohammed Al-Hafiti: She is considered an inspiring model in the field of education. Her professional career has spanned more than two decades. She is a teacher at the Zayed Educational Complex in Dibba Al-Fujairah. She is known for her innovative contributions aimed at developing the educational environment for her students, and her keenness to contribute to preparing a conscious and creative generation that adheres to values ​​and is keen on knowledge. Among the most prominent projects that Moza created for her students is the “interactive digital prayer rug” to teach prayer, and the digital library that she launched during the “Covid-19” pandemic, in addition to implementing many educational initiatives with the aim of developing students’ skills and instilling values ​​in them. She also contributed to training and qualifying teachers through workshops and voluntary mentoring programs, and her name was included in the list of the top 50 candidates for the Best Teacher Award in the World. She also won a number of awards, most notably the Khalifa Educational Award, the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Educational Performance, and the Sharjah Award for Educational Excellence.

– Rashid Abdullah Al Nuaimi: He is considered one of the most prominent national figures whose career is closely linked to the history of the state, as he grew up in an environment that instilled in him the values of giving, loyalty, and service to the nation, which guided his career full of achievement. His Excellency held a number of prominent leadership positions, including Minister of State for Foreign Affairs from 1977 to 1990, then Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1990 to 2006, and he played an important role in formulating the state’s foreign policy and strengthening its regional presence. At the beginning of his career, he also held the position of Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information and Tourism. His Excellency was the first Commissioner-General of the Abu Dhabi Pavilion at Expo 1970 Osaka in Japan, where he participated as a representative of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. He contributed to laying the foundations of relations with Japan and opening new horizons for political and economic rapprochement between the two countries. He also contributed to providing the necessary resources to present an honorable pavilion for the Emirate.

He was known for his commitment to society and his keenness on humanitarian initiatives and charitable work, and one of his most prominent contributions was the establishment of the “Rashid Center for Diabetes Treatment and Research” in 2010 and the “Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Nuaimi Charitable Foundation” in 2012.

His Excellency also contributed to the cultural field, as he wrote the first modern Emirati novel, “Shahinda” in 1971, and his book, “Zayed: From the City of Al Ain to the Presidency of the Union,” is considered an important national reference documenting the journey of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, “may God rest his soul.”

-The late Muhammad Ibrahim Obaidullah: He devoted his efforts in the humanitarian and charitable field and supporting and developing health care in the UAE, based on his firm belief that progress begins with serving humanity. Among his most prominent contributions is the establishment of the “Obaidullah Hospital for the Treatment of Senior Citizens” in Ras Al Khaimah in 2009, which is the first specialized hospital of its kind in the country, in addition to contributing to the development of other health facilities, including the “Kidney Dialysis Center” in Ras Al Khaimah and the “Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Center at Rashid Hospital” in Dubai. His generous giving extended to include other areas such as education and providing scholarships to needy students.

The deceased was a founding member of the Beit Al Khair Society, and served as a member of its board of directors for more than three decades, in addition to his support for medical, relief and development programs that contributed to enhancing health care for many. During his life, he was honored with many awards, most notably the President’s Appreciation Award in 2012, the UAE Pioneers Award in 2017, and the Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences in 2009, in recognition of his distinguished contributions in the fields of humanitarian work and care. Health, and Muhammad Ibrahim Obaidullah passed away during the current year, leaving a prominent mark in giving, humanity, and serving the nation, so that the impact of his contributions will remain inspiring for future generations.

Salem Hamad Al Mansouri and Fatima Majid Al Mansouri: They represent a model of humanitarian giving, as the parents Salem and Fatima chose, after the passing of their five-year-old daughter Zahia, to transform the pain of loss into hope and a new life for others with a brave humanitarian decision that embodies the values of giving and goodness inherent in Emirati society by donating the organs of their daughter Zahia, to contribute to saving the lives of three people inside and outside the country, including two children and an adult patient, and being the first Emirati family to do so. A noble step. The Salem and Fatima initiative contributed to supporting the “Hayat” organ donation program in the UAE, which added another humanitarian dimension to giving and supporting others.

– Hamama Obaid Khamis: Hamama was born in the city of Al Dhaid, where from her childhood she acquired the profession of traditional medicine from her parents, and she worked hard to serve the community by providing herbal treatments, moxibustion services, and traditional midwifery. Over the course of more than seven decades, Hamama received in her home thousands of patients from various emirates of the country and the Gulf region, and provided them with treatment free of charge. In a time when modern hospitals were not available, Hamama’s role had a great impact in meeting people’s health needs, as she worked as a midwife and contributed to the birth of many children, becoming a symbol of giving and care in the local community, embodying, through her giving and sincerity in serving others, an inspiring example of goodness and the human spirit.

-Abdul Moneim bin Issa Al Sarkal: He is considered one of the Emirati figures who enriched the fields of arts and culture, and contributed an important role to the movement of the cultural scene in the UAE and the region.

Abdul Moneim Al Serkal’s passion for culture and creative arts turned into a reality in the Al Quoz area in Dubai. In 2008, he founded Al Serkal Avenue, one of the most important cultural centers in the region, which includes art exhibitions and theaters among its corridors, and over time it has become a meeting point for dialogue and innovation.

In 2019, he established the “Al Serkal Arts Foundation,” a non-profit organization whose goal is to support artists, researchers, and students, and provide them with grants, opportunities, and residency programs. His pioneering efforts have contributed to consolidating the position of Dubai and the UAE as a global destination for art, culture, and creativity. Abdel Moneim also contributes to the international art community through his membership in advisory boards for prestigious art institutions such as the Tate Museum and the Solomon R. Foundation. Guggenheim.

Abdel Moneim won the “Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters” from the French government and the Emirates Medal for Culture and Creativity in recognition of his distinguished contributions to supporting the cultural and artistic scene.

-The late David Heard: One of the prominent figures whose name is associated with the modern history of the UAE. David came to Abu Dhabi in the 1960s and worked as an engineer in the oil sector. He played a key role in the early stages of developing this sector until he was subsequently appointed as an advisor to the Supreme Petroleum Council to contribute to defining the most prominent features of the energy sector in the country.

Behind this work, there was a hidden effort in which David worked hard in the past, to become a documentary reference in the future and present of the nation, as he extensively documented the stages of development in the UAE, starting from pearl fishing and trade to the establishment of a strong and prosperous state. He was also a passionate historian and writer and wrote many important books on oil history and its development in the region.

In 2019, David donated to the NYU Abu Dhabi Library an archive containing more than 440 archival units that he collected over more than 50 years, becoming a rich reference for researchers and students.

David Hurd died in 2024, and his legacy remains a witness to his inspiring efforts in supporting education and cultural exchange and contributing to preserving the history of the UAE.

-The late Sultan Ali Al Owais: He devoted his life and what he owned to serving culture, knowledge, and charitable work in the UAE and the region. May God have mercy on him, he was distinguished by his important qualitative contributions to preserving cultural heritage and charitable work. Believing in the role of culture in promoting knowledge and creativity, the late Sultan bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Award was established in 1987, which still exists to this day, as it is considered one of the most prominent literary awards in the Arab world, through which hundreds of writers and intellectuals have been honored.

In addition to his contributions to the cultural sector, the late Sultan adopted many humanitarian and development initiatives, such as establishing schools and hospitals, and contributed to strengthening education and health care locally and regionally. Based on his belief in the importance of developing infrastructure, he initiated the construction of five major dams in Fujairah and Ajman, which still provide water to farmers.

In 1996, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, “may God rest his soul,” awarded Sultan Ali Al Owais with the “Zayed Medal,” second class, in recognition of his national and cultural contributions.

Sultan Al Owais died in 2000, leaving an inspiring legacy based on loyalty, giving, and dedication to serving humanity. In June 2025, UNESCO celebrated the centenary of his birth in recognition of his prominent contributions to enriching the Emirati and Arab cultural and literary scenes, and his role in consolidating the values ​​of creativity and knowledge that are in line with UNESCO’s mission to enhance human culture and identity.

Khaldoun Khalifa Al Mubarak: Over the past two decades, His Excellency has made qualitative contributions to the process of progress witnessed by Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates. In every position he holds, he embodied the values of dedication to serving the nation and professional competence. He is a role model and source of inspiration for current and future generations. As one of the influential business leaders and public policy makers in the Emirates, His Excellency contributes to supporting the country’s march towards sustainable and diversified economic development, and during his leadership career, he supervises many projects and initiatives. The strategy embodies the vision of future leadership in various sectors, including strategic international relations, economics, investment, infrastructure, energy, education, healthcare, advanced technology and artificial intelligence.

In addition to his professional achievements, His Excellency embodies the principles of sincerity, care and respect in his dealings with everyone, which has earned him appreciation and trust from those around him. Based on his belief in the importance of empowerment, he has focused on establishing a culture of support and excellence in the institutions he leads and inspiring colleagues to always provide the best. He is also keen to prepare a new generation of promising professional competencies committed to achieving the vision of the UAE and its future leadership aspirations.

Khaldoun Al Mubarak currently holds many prominent responsibilities. He is the Managing Director and CEO of the Mubadala Investment Group, which he has led since its founding in 2002. He also holds the position of Chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority and a member of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi since 2004, in addition to assuming the presidency and membership of a number of boards of directors and higher committees at the national and international levels, which embodies the breadth and breadth of his experience. His Excellency Khaldoun Al Mubarak represents a model of Emirati leadership capable of Transforming ambition into achievement, challenges into opportunities, and ideas into reality, which contributes to the nation’s progress and sustainable prosperity.