46 UAE Ministries, Media Houses and Influencers Competing for Prestigious Sharjah Government Communication Award 2021

403 nominations received for 14 categories of the SGCA; winners to be announced on September 27 at the 10th International Government Communication Forum

Sharjah, September 15, 2021:  The International Government Communication Centre (IGCC), a subsidiary of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), has unveiled the shortlist for the 8th edition of the Sharjah Government Communication Award (SGCA). 

Forty-six finalists are competing to win across the award’s 14 categories. Winners will be announced at the closing ceremony of the 10th International Government Communication Forum (IGCF), to be held on September 26 – 27 in Expo Centre Sharjah.

In the 'Best Government Communication through New Media' category dedicated to the Arab world, the shortlist includes UAE's Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health and Prevention and Dubai Police. Sharjah Police, Ajman Police and The Big Heart Foundation were shortlisted for the ‘Best Crisis Response’ category. The ‘Best Practices in Government Communication’ category shortlist comprises the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance, and Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship.

Dherar Belhoul Al Falasi, Shoroq Al Bloshi, Mohammed Al Kaabi, Raghda Al Saeed and Bader Al Issa made the shortlist for the ‘Best Social Media Influencer – Arab World’ category. The ‘Best Photo/Video in Government Communication – Global’ category included Omran Abdulrahman Al Ansari, Abdulrahman Mohsen Majrashi and Mohammed Ali Al Mannai. The ‘Best Idea for Engaging Future Generations in the Arab World’ category saw the Arab Youth Center, Future Foresight Foundation, and Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination make it to the shortlist.

Shortlisted nominees for the ‘Best Youth Initiative in Government Communication’ category, dedicated to the Arab World, included the Inclusive Community Engagement App / Fareejona; ‘Richter Talk’, an inspirational, entrepreneurial show that sheds light on successful businesses around the Arab Region; 'Kammel Maaroufak' public awareness campaign; and the Kair Jalees book initiative. 

The Sharjah Municipality, Department of Town Planning and Survey, and Sharjah Police were shortlisted for the ‘Best Public Communication Initiative’ category. While the Dubai Police, Sharjah Police, Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority, and the Ministry of Health and Prevention were shortlisted for the ‘Best Practices for Dealing with the Coronavirus Crisis’ category, the UAE Public Prosecution and Abu Dhabi Police were shortlisted for the ‘Best Practices for Dealing with Fake News’ category.

The shortlisted entries for the 'Best System Supporting Government Communication – UAE' category include Abu Dhabi Municipality, Sharjah Documentation and Archives Authority (SDAA), and the Human Resources Department of Ras Al Khaimah Government. Alia Shehab Al Sumaiti, Corporate Communications professional, Public Prosecution, Dubai Government; Rashid Al Falahi, Chief Storytelling Officer, Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR); and Major Rashed Matar Saif Al Jabri, Director of Government Communication Department, Dubai Police General Headquarters, were selected in the 'Ideal Employee for Government Communication' category.

The selected entries in the 'Best Community Impact Initiative – United Arab Emirates' category included the 'World's Coolest Winter' campaign by the UAE Government Media Office; the UAE Covid-19 Vaccination Campaign by the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA); the Child Digital Safety Initiative by the Ministry of Interior; the Arab Reading Challenge by the UAE Government Media Office; and the ’Don't Worry’ campaign launched by the UAE’s National Programme for Happiness and Wellbeing (NPHW).  

HE Alya Al Suwaidi, Director of SGMB, said: “This edition of SGCA speaks volumes of its progress – not just in the quality of submissions received but also in the growing importance of the role government communication teams in serving communities by effectively responding to unprecedented crisis situations like COVID-19. The growing number of entires also reflects SGCA’s success in encouraging both public and private sectors to champion government initiatives that contribute to achieving communities' sustainable development goals.”

She lauded the efforts of the award's jury, stressing that their diligence has helped scale, develop, and advance SGCA, in addition to gearing it towards fundamental issues that affect communities and establishing scientific strategies that will lay the foundation for effective communication mechanisms at regional as well as global levels.

The award received 403 entry submissions for the eighth edition. Jurors shortlisted 212 nominees in the 14 categories of the award, including 38 entries from Sharjah, 145 from other Emirates and a total of 29 entries from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan, Pakistan, Kuwait, Syria, Jordan, Morocco, and other countries across the Gulf region.