DMI @DubaiMediaInc bags Social Media Excellence Award

Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI) has scooped the prestigious 15th Salem Al Ali Al Sabah Informatics Corporation Award, with the honour bestowed by Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah, Emir of Kuwait, at a ceremony that took place at Bayan Palace, the Amiri Diwan, Kuwait.

As the official media organisation of the Dubai Government, DMI received the accolade for its leading social networking channels that utilise the Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube platforms: ‘@DubaiMediaInc.’

The award, which is one of the most prominent and important in the Arab world’s media industry, was presented to Dhaen Shaheen, Director General, Publishing Sector, Dubai Media Incorporated at the event that was attended by a number of senior government figures and regional media representatives.

"I was both delighted and honoured to accept this award on behalf of DMI. Our corporate digital marketing team has strived tirelessly to create the very best social media channels for our audiences, with our aim being to maximise engagement and increase interaction relating to important news and initiatives. It is extremely rewarding to know that our efforts have been appreciated at the highest level with the bestowing of this prestigious title,” said Dhaen Shaheen.

Shaheen used the awards ceremony to highlight the vital role that DMI plays in the dissemination of information around important community issues. He expounded on the organisation’s development of various social networking channels to maintain the cultural identity of Dubai, the UAE and the wider Arab region. He praised DMI’s corporate digital marketing team for its pursuance of excellence in utilising popular social media platforms to spread awareness about significant issues of interest to individuals and society.

“I would like to thank our corporate digital marketing team members who have clearly demonstrated their skills in the selection of information and the drafting of content to create perfect DMI messages. These communications, which are targeted towards local audiences as well as towards audiences from different backgrounds, are instrumental in fulfilling our mission. They have succeeded in showcasing to the Arab world the civilised face of the Emirate of Dubai through a spirit of open-mindedness and the understanding and acceptance of other creeds and cultures,” added Shaheen.

The Sheikh Salem Al Ali Al Sabah Informatics Award was established in 2000 to recognise excellence in the field of integrated information technology as it is applied to community institutions. The programme’s main objectives are to improve informatics skills and to contribute to the development of digital literacy and Arabic digital content. The award serves to raise competition, excellence and innovation in the field of information technology and promotes the role of IT culture in the community.

The criteria for entering the award are that participants should have social media presence, are an Arab government, or private or civil entity which produces Arabic content, are committed to a high degree of morality and maintain intellectual property rights and the rights of others.

The process of selecting winners involves several stages, including an evaluation phase carried out by a group of volunteers who shortlist candidates and a judging phase conducted by an Arab jury panel consisting of 10 members from nine Arab countries representing various government sectors, international bodies and civic institutions.

The final stage sees 10 Kuwaiti and Arab parties from the spheres of education, health and civil society provide their input, with these sectors deemed the best authorities to evaluate social media communication in the Arab world.

DMI came in second place in the government sector category, with the Royal Jordanian Hashemite Court winning first place. Dubai Culture ranked third place in the culture category, Kuwait scooped three awards for their work in the civil society, private and health sectors, while the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia won three awards in the private and health sector categories.