Technology opened new avenues for communication: Mohammed

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has honoured the winners of the 15th edition of the Arab Journalism Award, in a ceremony held at the conclusion of the 15th edition of the Arab Media Forum (AMF) at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Those present at the awarding ceremony included Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness, Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Secretary-General of the Arab Journalism Award and Chairperson of the Organising Committee of the AMF; as well as a large number of senior officials and Arab journalists.

The ceremony began with a short documentary on the life of the late Khalfan Al Roumi, former Chairman of the Arab Journalism Award. It was followed by a film which chronicled the Award's progress.

During the ceremony, "Hope," a poem by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was sung by the prominent singer Kadhim Al Saher.

Sheikh Mohammed presented the Media Personality of the Year Award to the noted writer Abdul Rahman Al Rashid, in recognition of his efforts to enrich the Arab media landscape and his long and eventful career.

He presented the Best Newspaper Column Award to the Lebanese critic Ibrahim Al Arees.

The Smart Journalism Award went to Hesspress, Morocco's leading online newspaper.

Winners of the other awards are:

- Humanitarian Journalism Award: Naema Al Saridi; Almaghrib Today newspaper (Morocco).

- Specialised Journalism Award : Al Khaleej newspaper team (UAE).

- Sport Journalism Award: Rida Saleem; Al Ittihad newspaper (UAE).

- Cultural Journalism Award: Mustafa Obada; Al Ahram Al Arabi magazine

- Investigative Reporting Award: Huda Zakaria and Mohammed Al Mandarawi; Al Youm al Sabee newspaper

- Business Journalism Award: Osama Jalal: KUNA (Kuwait).

- Political Journalism Award: Dr. Abdullah Al Madani; Al Ittihad newspaper (UAE).

- Press Interviews Journalism Award: Faisal bin Saeed al Alawi; Al Watan newspaper (Oman).

- Photo Journalism Award: Mohammed Turkman, Reuters (Palestine).

- Outstanding Cartoon Works Award: Muwafaq Rushdi; for work shown on Sky News Arabia

- Young Journalist Awards: Abeer Isa; Kul Al Usra magazine (UAE), Ayat Al Habbal; Al Masri Al Youm newspaper (Egypt), and Haleema Abrouk of Akhbar Al Youm newspaper (Morocco).

Mohammed: Technology opened new avenues for communication

The rapid development in telecommunications technology requires us to identify a clear approach to utilise it in serving Arab societies, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has said.

Sheikh Mohammed made the remarks on Wednesday while meeting a group of prominent Arab social media influencers on the sidelines of the 15th Arab Media Forum in Dubai.

He expressed the hope that all Arabs will benefit from the opportunities available to champion values of positivity and optimism and to promote moderate and enlightened thoughts.

"Spreading values of peace, amity and tolerance will close doors in the face of the hate mongers and the evil forces that attempt to sell their destructive thoughts. Should they manage to use the exposure opportunities facilitated by the social media, the forces of darkness will keep trying to brainwash young generations about thoughts that are totally alien to the teachings of our tolerant religion," Sheikh Mohammed stated.

He called for blocking the road before the deviant thinking through positivity, optimism and tolerance.

Sheikh Mohammed praised the idea of 'influencers discussion', organised by the Arab Social Media Network, an initiative of the Dubai, which helps motivate the Arab youth to come up with creative ideas, applicable through the social media and to publish the inspirational success stories.

The Arab influencers thanked Sheikh Mohammed for the interest shown in their discussion, saying that most of the ideas presented during the events were inspired by his vision and approach for positivity as a key pillar for development and by the goal he set for the UAE government strategy to spread happiness among the people.

The Arab influencers discussion was held on Tuesday, in collaboration with the Arab Social Media Influencers Summit and included open dialogue and a brainstorming session.

Mohammed meets Arab Journalism Award's jury members

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, met on Wednesday at the Dubai World Trade Centre with the members of the jury of the Arab Journalism Award.

Sheikh Mohammed lauded the jury's efforts to make fair nominations of winners of the Arab journalism award for the past 15 years.

He described the Arab Journalism Award as an important intellectual motivational tool for the journalists to tackle issues related to different walks of life and to ring bells on just causes.

Sheikh Mohammed urged the jury members to utilize the Award's prominence to promote the role of journalism in highlighting political, economic and social issues that are of importance to the Arab masses.

Present were Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness, Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director General of Dubai Protocol and Hospitality Department and Mona Al Marri, the Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office.

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