The shortlisted entries have been carefully selected through a deliberation session conducted by the SGCA Higher Committee, which comprises experts from diverse fields within the realm of media and communication. The outstanding nominees hail from a range of countries, including the UAE, KSA, Egypt, Oman, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, the USA, and Kenya. The winners will be announced at the Sharjah Government Communication Award ceremony on September 14th, 2023, at Expo Centre Sharjah.
SGCA Higher Committee and award criteria
SGCA Higher Committee’s selection of candidates was based on a comprehensive set of criteria, encompassing factors such as their distinctiveness and effectiveness in government communication practices, skills and tools utilised, adeptness in formulating targeted strategies for engaging their audiences, and their contributions to advancing the role of government communication and media in addressing global societal and developmental challenges.
The SGCA Higher Committee features HE Ali Jaber, Group TV Director of MBC; HE Dr. Ali Qasim Jawad Al Lawati, President of The Royal Academy of Management in Oman; HE Mohammed Jalal Al Raisi, Director General of the Emirates News Agency (WAM); HE Shihab Alhammadi, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sharjah for Financial and Administrative Affairs; Mohammed Majed Al Suwaidi, Director of Sharjah Sports Channel (SSC).
The committee also includes Mona El-Shazly, prominent Egyptian media personality and TV host; media personality Sami Al Reyami; Dr. Yasar Jarrar, Senior Strategy Advisor focused on emerging markets; and Saudi writer and journalist Dr. Ahmed Abdel Rahman Al Arfaj.
Arab award categories
The finalists in the “Best Spokesperson” category consists of the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock in Sharjah. In the “Best Government Communication Team” category, the contenders on the shortlist are Dubai Customs; General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA), and Tawazun Council.
The “Best Integrated Communication Campaign” category, the candidates include the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA), Abu Dhabi City Municipality, and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security. Turning to the “Best Communication for Reputation Building and Management” category, the shortlisted contenders are Dubai Police, Sharjah International Airport Authority, and the Zayed Higher Organization (ZHO) for People of Determination.
Within the “Best Campaign Celebrating Arab Culture” category, the shortlist comprises the Sharjah Private Education Authority and the Holy Quran Academy in Sharjah. In the “Best Social Responsibility Campaign” category, the finalists are the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA), Sharjah Museums Authority, and the National Housing Company (NHC) in Saudi Arabia.
The “Best Communication Targeting Youth” category includes three sub-categories. The contenders for the first sub-category “Best Communication Programme to Support Youth Entrepreneurship and Projects” are the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa), the Federal Youth Authority (FYA) under the Ministry of Culture and Youth, and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai. In the “Best Campaign for Positive Impact on Youth Awareness and Practices” sub-category, the candidates are the Integrated Transport Centre in Abu Dhabi, National Center for Non-Profit Sector in Saudi Arabia, and Abu Dhabi Ports Group (AD Ports Group). Lastly, in the “Best Youth Initiative in Government Communication” sub-category, the shortlist features the 'Masaafah' Community affiliated to King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture - Ithra, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention Youth Council, and the Art Youth Forum from the UAE.
Global award categories
The global award categories have witnessed outstanding competition and have attracted exceptional entries from the region. In the “Best Communication Strategy for Crisis Management” category, the shortlist comprises the Sharjah Social Services Department, the General Administration of Strategic Communication at the Saudi Ministry of Defense, and UAE's National Center of Meteorology, each demonstrating noteworthy achievements.
For the “Best Innovation in Communication” category, which comprises two sub-categories, the Abu Dhabi National Library and Archives (NLA), as well as the Sharjah Housing Programme, are set to compete for the first sub-category “Best Innovation in Government Communication”. Meanwhile, the winners for the second sub-category “Best Initiative within the Annual Youth Challenge” will be announced on the second day of IGCF 2023.
In the “Best Food Security Programme Communication Plan” category, candidates include Recycling for Education Foundation in Jordan; the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kenya; and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock in Sharjah.
For the “Best Communication Initiative or Media Content to Promote Environmental Awareness” category, the contenders are Alroya Newspaper from Oman and Saudi Arabia's Environmental Awareness Initiative of Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA).
In the “Best Communication Practices or Campaigns Addressing Developmental Challenges” category, the shortlist features the Emirati Talent Competitiveness Council, Sulaiman Bin Abdulaziz Al Rajhi Charitable Foundation, and the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY).
Competing for the “Best Communication Practice in Volunteer Campaign'' category award are the Sharjah Social Services Department and the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. As for the “Best Communication through Media Content'' category, the candidates include Bahrain's Atnafas Creative Production, Saudi Arabia's Okaz Organization for Press and Publication, and the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY).
Meanwhile, the nominees for the “Best Applied Scientific Research in Government Communication” on an individual level include Amal Al-Helian from the UAE and Ghada Seif Thabet from Egypt.
Jury award categories and Universities Challenge
As for the “Best Communication Strategy Utilising Sports” category, and the “Best Positive Social Impact Driver” category, the winners will be announced during the award ceremony. Additionally, the winners of the "Universities Challenge," which is organised in cooperation with United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), will be announced on the second day of IGCF 2023. Universities teams will be competing to design and present innovative communications projects that provide genuine contributions to government communications.
The Sharjah Government Communication Award was launched by SGMB in September 2012 as the first-of-its-kind award in the region with the aim of recognising outstanding government communication and media practices. The award recognises those who have made a significant impact in the field, focusing on societal value and fostering international cooperation. SGCA celebrates new ideas embracing collaboration across societies to achieve future goals.
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