Dubai Press Club to honour winners of ‘Ibda’a - Arab Youth Media Award’

- Dubai Press Club to honour winners of ‘Ibda’a - Arab Youth Media Award’ and ‘Arab Social Media Influencers Award’ at Arab Media Summit 2025

- Winners of the ‘Ibda’a – Arab Youth Media Award’ will be honoured on 26 May
 - ‘Arab Social Media Influencers Award’ ceremony will be held on 28 May

The Dubai Press Club (DPC) has announced that it will host two award ceremonies as part of the Arab Media Summit 2025, being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The Summit will be organised from 26-28 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The ceremony celebrating the winners of the ‘Ibda’a – Arab Youth Media Award’ will be held on 26 May, followed by the ‘Arab Social Media Influencers Award’ on 28 May. Both ceremonies are set to be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council.

Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council and President of the Dubai Press Club, said: “The Arab Media Summit serves as a vital platform to spotlight youth innovation and honour individuals who are shaping the future of Arab media with meaningful, impact-driven content. These awards reflect the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to empower young Arab talent and position media as a catalyst for positive change.”

She added: “Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed, these awards reflect DPC’s ongoing commitment to supporting the development of the media sector through initiatives that recognise excellence and honour outstanding individuals—whether promising media students or influential digital content creators.”

Maryam Al Mulla, Acting Director of the Dubai Press Club, said: The ‘Ibda’a Award’ and the ‘Arab Social Media Influencers Award’ are both central to our strategy to position Dubai as a hub for Arab media talent and a driver of positive influence in the media space. Through these awards, we are not only celebrating individual achievement, we are recognising a new wave of media talent who are using digital and traditional platforms to inform, inspire, and contribute to positive change.”

Jassim Al Shamsi, Director of Awards and Member of the Organising Committee, said: “These awards not only highlight exceptional media contributions but also reflect a broader shift in media awareness among the region’s youth. We are confident this initiative will continue to inspire a new generation of creators and professionals who are both responsible and innovative.”

He added that the judging process was carried out in collaboration with a panel of experts, following clear and transparent criteria to ensure fairness and integrity across all categories of the awards.

Celebrating Arab Youth
This year’s Ibda’a Award, which attracted 2,736 submissions, builds on the legacy of the Ibda’a Media Student Awards—launched in 2001 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as a platform to discover and celebrate emerging media talent from across the Arab world. Winners will be honoured on 26 May during the Arab Youth Media Forum. The award includes six categories: Podcasting, E-Games, Multimedia, Photography, Short Video, and News Reports. Each category winner will receive a prize of USD5,000.

Honouring Impact
The fifth edition of the Arab Social Media Influencers Award will recognise individuals and platforms that have made a positive social impact through creative digital content.

As part of this edition, the Dubai Press Club introduced new categories to reflect the evolving digital media landscape, bringing the total to 12. The newly added categories include Economics, Podcasting, Best News Platform, and Best Children’s Platform. These are in addition to returning categories such as Influential Personality of the Year, Entrepreneurship, Community Service, Health, Sports, Culture, Tourism, and Arts and Entertainment.

Both awards underscore the Dubai Press Club’s commitment to nurturing Arab media talent, fostering a culture of excellence, and amplifying voices that contribute meaningfully to their communities.