Dubai: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, has congratulated the winners of the ninth Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award and thanked them for their “extraordinary efforts” to promote creativity and the empowerment of women in sports.
The winners of the Creative Sports Award, which is one of the biggest honours of its kind in the world and one of the entities under the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, will be honoured at a glittering awards ceremony on Wednesday at the Dubai World Trade Centre’s Shaikh Rashid Ballroom, starting 11am.
“We welcome these creative athletes and officials in a country that prides itself in taking a creative approach to work and has become a fertile ground for creative people, embracing them and sponsoring their work as they contribute — not just locally but internationally — towards the advancement of sport, which is not just an important human activity but also a reflection of a country’s progress and evolution,” said Shaikh Hamdan.
“The ninth edition of the awards takes on an even greater status as it is being held at the beginning of the Year of Zayed, a year that is associated with the ideals of the beloved founder of our country, Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. We follow his lead in all our work and all our initiatives, and our aim is to build a better future for our youth and sports.
“We are aware of the extraordinary efforts of all the winners and their notable achievements, which have raised the level of competitions. The winning local and international sports organisations have offered programmes and initiatives that have supported the awards’ noble objectives, especially the main focus of this ninth edition of the awards, which is the empowerment of women in sports.
“They are all deserving winners of an award that has the honour of carrying the name of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
“The awards were created to implement the vision of Shaikh Mohammad and for encouraging creativity in sport by honouring creative athletes, officials and organisations, and supporting their work.”
A global stage
Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award, thanked Shaikh Hamdan, the patron of the awards, for his “unlimited support and guidance” and Shaikh Ahmad Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee, for his “leadership”, which have helped turn the awards into one of the most sought-after honours, not just in the Arab world but on the global stage.
“The increase in the number of entries at all levels — local, Arab and international — confirms the status of the award and the significant role it plays in achieving the desired development of the sports sector, and the establishment of a culture of creativity and excellence in sports work.”
