The victory was announced during an honours ceremony for the award's various categories, organised annually by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) in recognition of outstanding contributions to innovation and sustainability.

A decade of long-term planning

The award, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, caps ten years of sustained planning at the centre. Over that period, its programmes have helped push learning difficulties into mainstream discussion among educators, families, and the wider community, establishing the centre as something of a national reference point on the issue.

A mature institutional system

Her Excellency Sheikha Jamila bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director General of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, said the win reflects the maturity of the institutional system established by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, when he decided to create a dedicated body for people with learning difficulties.

She added that the recognition demonstrates the centre's commitment to turning social responsibility from a series of one-off initiatives into a lasting pillar of comprehensive human development.

Ten years of systematic work

Dr Hanadi Al Suwaidi, Director of the Sharjah Center for Learning Difficulties, described the win as a fitting tribute to a decade of methodical work raising awareness of learning difficulties and turning that awareness into a shared responsibility involving schools, families, and government and academic institutions alike.

She said the award embodies an ambitious vision for empowering people with learning difficulties, one that reflects the Ruler of Sharjah's commitment to making inclusive, quality education a basic right for everyone.

Dr Suwaidi also credited the close support of Sheikh Jamila bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, whose guidance has shaped the centre's policies on inclusion and the adoption of international best practices across the emirate. She pointed to tools such as the centre’s Learning Difficulties Simulation Laboratory and its Integrated Services Guide for Learning Difficulties and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as evidence of a shift from seasonal awareness campaigns to sustainable institutional practice—work that feeds directly into the United Nations' fourth Sustainable Development Goal of inclusive, quality education for all.

Building on last year's UNESCO-backed award

The centre's Learning Difficulties Simulation Laboratory previously won the Sustainable Education Award from the Regional Center for Educational Planning in Sharjah (RCEP), which operates under the auspices of UNESCO. The project offers six hands-on sensory experiences that recreate the everyday challenges faced by people with learning difficulties, helping teachers and parents build a more profound understanding of inclusive education.

The centre also launched its Integrated Services Guide for Learning Difficulties and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder last year, billed as the first comprehensive scientific reference of its kind in the UAE. It is designed to give teachers, specialists, and parents a clear, evidence-based roadmap for supporting students by combining teaching methods with behavioural interventions in accordance with international best practices.

Since its establishment, the Sharjah Center for Learning Difficulties has positioned itself as a leading advocate for people with learning difficulties across the UAE and the wider Arab world, building on principles of inclusive education, equality, and community responsibility.