9th Arab Journalism Award Winners Honoured

DUBAI - His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, today honoured the winners of the 9th Arab Journalism Awards at a gala ceremony that marked the conclusion of the Arab Media Forum 2010.

By (WAM)

Published: Thu 13 May 2010, 11:23 PM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 3:40 PM

The winners were selected from over 3,500 submissions that the Arab Journalism Awards received for all 12 categories from across 19 Arab countries.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the ‘Media Personality of the Year 2009’ award to Abdulla Omran Taryam, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the UAE-based Dar Al Khaleej Press, Printing and Publishing. Taryam was selected for his contribution to journalism since the 1950s, when he started his career with his brother Taryam Omran in establishing and developing the Al Khaleej newspaper as well as six daily, weekly and monthly publications.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed also honoured Muhyee Aldeen Amaymoor from the Algerian newspaper Sawt Al Ahrar with the ‘Best Newspaper Column’ award.

The winners of the Arab Journalism Awards were announced at the close of the 9^th Arab Media Forum, which was held at The Atlantis - Palm from 12-13 May. Titled ‘Shifting Mediascape: Inspiring Content...Expanding Reach’, the event witnessed the participation of over 2,000 Arab and international journalists, including speakers and attendees.

Mohammad Yousuf, Chairman of the UAE Journalists Association and member of the Board of Directors for the Arab Journalism Awards, presented the Investigative Reporting Award to Samah Abd Al Mo’ti and Ali Zalat from the Masri Al Yoom newspaper for their report on a human organ trafficking network in Egypt.

Naser Al Dhahiri, the eminent UAE Journalist, awarded the Political Journalism award to Bahraini newspaper Al Wasat for a work titled ‘Democracy shakes the Middle East’.

Usama Al Sheikh, Head of the Egyptian Radio and Television Union, gave away the Cultural Criticism category award to Yahya Al Battat from Dubai Cultural magazine.

Dalia Saudi from the Egyptian magazine Wajahat Nathar received the award in the Press Interviews Journalism category for her interview with the French journalist Allan Jreish. She was awarded the distinction by Magida Abu Fadel, Director of Journalists Training Programmes at the American University of Beirut.

Mohammad Al Jokar from the UAE-based Al Bayan newspaper received the Sports Journalism award from Ahmad Bahbahani, President of Kuwait Journalists Association.

Abdul Wahab Zghelat, Editor-in-Chief of the Jordanian newspaper Al Ra’i and member of the Arab Journalism Awards Board of Directors, presented the Photo Journalism category award to Khalil Abd Al Qadir, a Palestinian freelance photographer for a photo published in the Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar.

Hisham Allam and Dareen Farghali from the Egyptian newspaper Al Masri Al Yoom received the Specialized Journalism award from Dhaen Shaheen, Editor-in-Chief of Al Bayan and a member of the Arab Journalism Awards Board of Directors, for a report on pollution of the Nile river.

The Outstanding Cartoon Works category was bagged by Amer Al Zo’bi from Al Bayan UAE newspaper. It was handed to him by the Egyptian writer Sokayna Fouad, member of the Arab Journalism Awards Board of Directors.

Ahmed Abdullah Al Sheikh, Media Escort to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Director General of the Media Office of the Government of Dubai, presented the Economic Journalism award to Ahmad Al Saba’ai of the Ahram newspaper in Egypt.

Khalfan Al Roumi, Chairman of the Arab Journalism Board of Directors, presented the Young Talent Journalism award to three winners including Zuheir Mustafa from the UAE newspaper Emarat Al Youm, Ahmad Dalool from the Press Agency in Palestine and Asma’ Al Ghool from the Palestinian newspaper Al Ayam.

Submissions to the Arab Journalism Awards were evaluated by a panel of 60 judges comprising media experts from across the world. Each category was assessed by a jury of five to six judges to maintain maximum neutrality in the selection process for which the awards are recognized since their inception.

Instituted in 1999 by the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Arab Journalism Awards serve as a transparent and neutral competition platform that is supervised by a board of directors comprising an elite group of senior journalists from the Arab world.