Media personalities lead judging process of SGCA

In view of the new disruptive competition categories in sports, culture, and media and the award’s goal of honouring and highlighting the best communication practises with tangible impact on communities and sectors in which they operate, SGCA has formed a higher committee comprising the heads of sub-committees. The sub-committees bring together academics and experts with specialised competencies in award categories such as campaigns, public practises, official spokespersons, programmes, and personal practise to evaluate and judge the submissions within their respective categories.

The SGCA Higher Committee features HE Mohammed Jalal Al Raisi, Director General of the Emirates News Agency (WAM), who held multiple media positions through which he represented the UAE in many countries around the world. Ali Jaber, Director of MBC Group and Dean of the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Communications (MBRSC), American University in Dubai. Shihab Alhammadi is the Director of the Sharjah Media City Free Zone Authority (Shams), who has greatly influenced the founding and growth of the Sharjah Media City through technological solutions.

Media experts who serve in the higher committee include Dr. Ali Qasim Jawad Al Lawati, President of The Royal Academy of Management in Oman and one of the key experts in government sector modernisation in Oman. He is also the Senior Advisor and the Head of the Think Tank Unit at the Diwan of Royal Court in Oman. Mohammed Majed Al Suwaidi is the Director of Sharjah Sports Channel (SSC), with an experience spanning more than 15 years through which he presented a number of TV programmes like "Fe Hadret Al Ketab", "Watani", "Ma’a Al Mas’ool", and others.

The jury members also include Mona El-Shazly, an Egyptian TV Host and prominent journalist who has left her mark through her various programmes and interviews, like "Al Ashira Masa'an" on Dream TV and "Ma’akom Mona El-Shazly" on the CBC TV channel. The media personality Sami Al Reyami, who held several media positions, and wrote a plethora of published works and columns that focus on local affairs.

The higher committee encompasses Dr. Yasar Jarrar, Author of "The Sheikh CEO", and a former Strategy Director at the Executive Office of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. The committee also features Saudi writer and journalist Dr. Ahmed Abdel Rahman Al Arfaj, who has published a number of papers, books, and articles in various newspapers and magazines. He presents the popular "Ya Hala Bel Arfaj" weekly programme on the Gulf Rotana TV channel. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the King Abdulaziz Centre for National Dialogue.

Tariq Saeed Allay: We seek leading expertise in Arab media to keep up with the development the award is witnessing.

Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of Sharjah Government Media Bureau, said: "Since its inception, the SGCA has emerged as a groundbreaking international platform dedicated to advancing communication and the tools used to engage with the public and shape public opinion. With the growing interest in the award and increasing participation of communication and media champions worldwide, we recognise the importance of harnessing the expertise of prominent media personalities and communication practitioners, along with other influential figures, to ensure world-class evaluation and judging processes that keep up with the high number and quality of the submitted projects."

The SGCA continues to receive submissions in its different categories that target communication industry champions from government, semi-government, and private entities, in addition to individuals, youth, and Media and Communication university students, until August 15, 2023. Application forms should be submitted via www.igcc.ae.