SGCA grows by 628% in its past 8th editions

Throughout its eighth editions, the internationally sought-after award has attracted  2,202 submissions from around the world, including 520 from Sharjah and 1,258 from across other emirates in the UAE. With the expansion of the scope of the award to cover the Arab region and beyond in 2017, it has attracted an additional 424 nominations in the Arab world and global categories. In 2020, the award recorded an unprecedented achievement in nationwide participation, with 93 entries from Sharjah and 700 from the rest of the UAE, in addition to continued growth in global submissions, which saw an impressive 162 nominations. 

Sustainable development and new award categories
The second edition of SGCA in 2015 was a gamechanger as the award shifted focus from media to government communication. In the third edition held in 2016, a new category called the 'Best Foreign Government Communication' ‘Best International Government Communication Campaign outside UAE’ award was introduced, while the fourth edition expanded its scope to include the Gulf region.

In 2018, the fifth edition of SGCA introduced the 'Best Government Communication' ‘Best Government Application’ category for the GCC region, 'Best Communication Plan for Year of Zayed', and 'Best Influential Personality on Social Media that Serves the Public Interest’, in addition to new subcategories under 'Best Youth Initiative in Government Communication'.

The sixth edition in 2019 expanded its scope to include the Arab world and launched a book titled 'Government Communication: Theory and Practice' which profiled winners of previous editions. The same year, SGCA partnered with the University of Sharjah to create an elective course on government communication for Mass Communication and Public Relations students at its College of Communication.

New strategy
The award went global in its seventh edition as it introduced new global categories. SGCA also created new modes of submission and expanded its portfolio of partners. On the national level, the award introduced 'The Voice of the People – UAE’, a category which enables community members to vote for an entity that has made the most significant impact on its audience.

New categories were added, and four existing ones were updated in the eighth edition of the award in 2021. It also introduced the 'Best Practices for Dealing with the Coronavirus Crisis' global category in response to the outbreak of the pandemic the previous year.

Fuelling the creation of governments of the future
Speaking on the award's monumental strides since its inception, HE Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of SGMB, emphasised that SGCA has succeeded in promoting futuristic and forward-looking government communications by highlighting unique examples that embodies creativity in communication between the government and the public. He said that SGCA draws its inspiration from the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to empower creators and innovators to accelerate the march towards the future.

The SGMB Director General said: “The award has highlighted and celebrated many innovative communication solutions that are vital for overcoming challenges facing governmental, semi-governmental and private sectors. This is evident in the rise in number of submissions every year. The first edition attracted 109 entries and grew to 793 in 2020, a growth rate of 628 per cent, phenomenal growth has strengthened the status of the award, which provides decision makers with tools and mechanisms for developing government services and instilling a culture of innovation and creativity in government sectors."

Allay added: “The continuous development and addition of new award categories has helped SGCA keep pace with the ongoing global changes and strengthen government communication practices both on the national and international levels.”