Mohammed bin Rashid honors the winners of the award "Dubai Legacy"

DUBAI, 30 APRIL / WAM / His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, “may God protect him”, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, today, Thursday, honored the winners of the “Dubai Legacy Award”, one of the largest specialized awards in the field of cultural and social documentation, during an official ceremony held at the Museum of the Future to celebrate With the contributions of individuals and entities to preserving the living memory of the Emirate of Dubai, preserving its national identity, and consolidating the culture of community documentation as an essential pillar of national awareness and identity sustainability.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stressed that Dubai’s march towards global prominence is based on a solid identity and living memory that constitute an integral part of its development model, noting that preserving heritage and documenting cultural and social transformations contributes to enhancing society’s ability to continue progressing with confidence, ensuring the sustainability of growth based on a balance between authenticity and modernity.

His Highness added that the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum established a clear approach in consolidating history and identity as part of Dubai’s cultural project, stressing that documenting memory was never a ceremonial act, but rather a strategic choice that keeps pace with the development process and enhances Dubai’s position as a global model that combines leadership and human, cultural, and social depth.

His Highness said: Today we honored the winners of one of the most important cultural and social awards that celebrate our identity and preserve our memory… 25,000 participants from citizens and residents… from institutions and schools… all of them participated in telling one story: the story of Dubai. We congratulate the winners and thank everyone who contributed, documented, preserved heritage and preserved history. The story of Dubai will continue to be told… in the voice of its people, through the eyes of those who lived it, and in the heart of every lover of it. Whoever does not document his legacy will be forgotten by time, and Dubai will not be forgotten.”

His Highness added: Dubai has always been an incubator for people, their stories and their aspirations, and today we place in the hands of our children a treasure trove of knowledge that documents the details of the life that created this city, and preserves the experiences and stories of its people, to be a reference that deepens belonging, enhances awareness of identity, and gives future generations a broader understanding of Dubai’s journey and its cultural and social transformations.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum noted the great societal momentum that the award has witnessed since its inception, which reflects the awareness of the people of Dubai of the importance of their role as partners in writing history, as documentation is no longer limited to institutions, but rather has become a societal duty in which everyone participates with responsibility and passion. His Highness stressed that the Dubai government will continue to provide all the capabilities that guarantee the sustainability of this legacy, so that they will have an inspiring reference in the journey of building the Dubai of the future.

His Highness the Crown Prince of Dubai stressed that the true value of this award goes beyond material honors to build community awareness that cherishes originality and pride in achievement, praising the creative levels presented by the participants in the various categories, which demonstrated that Dubai’s legacy is still alive and vibrant in the hearts of its people.

The honoring was attended by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Olympic Committee, Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, His Highness Sheikh Hasher bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Media Incorporated, and a number of His Excellency ministers, directors of government departments, and officials.

Over the course of twelve months since the launch of the initiative, “Dubai Heritage” has achieved exceptional numbers that reflect broad community interaction, as the volume of interaction with the initiative across its various platforms exceeded more than 14 million interactions, while the total number of contributions received by the initiative reached 25,238 diverse contributions, to which 54 private sector entities and 38 government entities contributed, which resulted in a huge knowledge collection that included 16,128 diverse documentary materials between historical photos and rare documents, so that this data constitutes a qualitative documentary reference. It expresses the extent of the community response to the goals of the initiative, and contributes to enriching the cultural and social record of the emirate.

During the ceremony, the “grand prize” worth one million dirhams went to Mr. Nasser bin Ahmed bin Issa bin Nasser Al Sarkal, in recognition of his distinguished participation among all categories of the award, which reflected an integrated model in documenting the cultural and social heritage of the Emirate of Dubai.

Ghaith Matar Sultan Al-Siri Al-Qamzi won the Best Participation for Documenting Family Legacy category, which is awarded to the best participant who documents the journey of his family members in Dubai in terms of its history and life experiences that formed important milestones in the family’s journey in a manner that reflects family traditions and the diversity of experiences within the cultural framework of the emirate.

In the category of Best Documenter of Dubai’s Oral Heritage, which is given to the best participation that documented oral stories and life experiences of citizens and residents of Dubai, Ahmed Ayoub Muhammad Nour Abdul Karim won for his participation that contributed to preserving the oral memory of the emirate.

As for the category of Best Participation Documented Creatively, it went to Abdul Rahim Muhammad Balghazouz Al Zarouni in recognition of his participation, which was documented in a distinctive manner, while Mohammed Sultan Bin Thani won the category of Best Participation via Social Media, which is awarded to the best participant who used social media platforms to document and publish stories or experiences that reflect Dubai’s heritage through inspiring and influential content.

The award also celebrated the cultural diversity that characterizes the emirate, through the category of best participation by a resident of Dubai, where Shawkat Ali Rana Muhammad Rafi won, in confirmation of Dubai’s status as an inclusive homeland that embraces various cultures and values ​​the contributions of residents in documenting its human and social features. This category is awarded to the best contribution submitted by residents that highlights their personal experience and interaction with the local culture in Dubai.

At the level of government and private agencies and educational institutions, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority won the award for Best Participation by a Government Entity in recognition of its efforts in supporting the objectives of the initiative, through participation that documented its progress and highlighted the level of its employees’ interaction with the initiative while highlighting its contributions to community service.

The category of Best Private Sector Participation, which honors the best private sector institution in the Emirate of Dubai that has effectively contributed to supporting the objectives of the initiative, went to Uncle Shop, while the New Academy School was honored with the Best Participating Educational Institution award, in recognition of its efforts to support the initiative and encourage students to participate in the initiative.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, memorial photos were taken of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with the winners in the various categories of the award.

All entries underwent a comprehensive evaluation process by a specialized jury headed by His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al Murr, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library Foundation, and the membership of Dr. Aisha Balkhair, Research Advisor at the National Archives and Library, Saeed Al Suwaidi, researcher and expert in Emirati history and culture, Maryam Dhaen Al Tamimi, Acting Director of the Heritage Sites Department at the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, in addition to Ahmed Saeed Al Sharid, General Coordinator of the Dubai Heritage Initiative.

In a step that reflects the initiative’s commitment to transforming the documentary outputs into a tangible cultural reality, the “Dubai Legacy” initiative’s plan to publish 100 books of the stories of the people of Dubai in the next phase was announced during the ceremony, to serve as documentary publications available to the public and researchers, enhancing the cognitive content related to the city’s identity.

It is noteworthy that the “Dubai Heritage” initiative continues to receive entries through its website, “erthdubai.ae”, as part of its ongoing approach to enhancing community participation, and its invitation to all members of society to document their stories, experiences, and living memories, in a way that contributes to preserving the cultural and social heritage of the Emirate of Dubai, preserving its national identity, and consolidating its values ​​for future generations.

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