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Dubai to host IAA World Congress

DUBAI - The International Advertising Association (IAA) World Congress, a three-day event expected to host over 2,000 participants from the advertising and marketing industry, will be held in Dubai in 2006.

Joseph Ghossoub, member of the board and the executive committee of the 7th GCC IAA Advertising Awards, made the announcement on Wednesday evening in his speech at the advertising awards ceremony held at the Media City's outdoor amphitheatre.

Mr Ghossoub said that "with luck and hard work Dubai will become the capital of the advertising industry."

Shaikh Hasher Al Maktoum, Director of the DUBAI Department of Information, and honorary Chairman of the IAA UAE Chapter, said in his speech that since the awards were founded in 1991, it has increased in size and stature, pointing to the record number of entries received for the award this year.

"The region's advertising and media industry has undergone significant developments and the UAE continues to play a central role in this increasing sophistication. Dubai Media City continues to attract more international media groups and communications companies, emphasising the UAE's role as a major regional commercial and communications hub," Shaikh Hasher said.

"It has been a challenging and rewarding year, and it is an indication of the recovery in the local market that, having postponed this event from May, we faced a major challenge to find a venue available to accommodate us once it was reintroduced to the business calender," said Ian Fairservice, President of the UAE IAA Chapter.

He said the awards gala has seen increased interest, which he pointed out was hardly surprising given the glamour and growing sophistication witnessed year-on-year.

Winners in all 49 categories, for Press, radio, outdoor and television ads, were honoured at the gala evening. In most categories a gold, silver and bronze was awarded.

It was an evening which saw some stars shine brighter than others, such as Team Y&R that walked away with a total of 24 awards in various categories, which include eight gold awards, and three categories in which they won bronze, silver and gold awards.

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