Arab Media Summit 2026 to feature silver jubilee celebrations of the Arab Media Award

The Arab Media Award is celebrating its silver jubilee during the upcoming Arab Media Summit 2026, marking a historic milestone in a 25-year journey upholding the highest standards of excellence, professionalism, and creativity across the Arab media industry.

The celebrations will further enrich the 24th edition of the Arab Media Summit, the region’s largest-of-its-kind media gathering, 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, and the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council, from 15 to 17 September at Dubai World Trade Centre.

The Arab Media Award’s silver jubilee marks an occasion to celebrate one of the leading initiatives that has contributed to the development of the Arab media sector with its emphasis on excellence, journalistic integrity, and positive impact. It also represents an opportunity to look ahead to a new chapter in the Award’s journey as it continues to keep pace with the rapid transformations unfolding across the global media landscape and the professional, technological and ethical challenges they present.

Complementing development agendas
The occasion reaffirms the evolution of the Award alongside the dramatic evolution of the media landscape while maintaining its status as a barometer of Arab media excellence. By highlighting role models across diverse media segments and motivating institutions and professionals to invest in top-quality content shaping real-world outcomes, the Award has played a distinct role in shaping awareness and strengthening development agendas across the Arab world.

Highlighting the milestone, Her Excellency Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, President of the Dubai Press Club, and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Arab Media Award, said: “Guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Arab Media Award was launched 25 years ago as one of Dubai’s most significant initiatives to promote media excellence in the Arab world. 

“We feel extremely proud and honoured by what the Award has achieved over this period, celebrating magnificent accomplishments and recognising prominent media and intellectual figures who have made immense contributions to the future of Arab journalism and media. The Award has earned a place in the hearts of generations of Arab media professionals as the most distinguished and distinctive platform celebrating excellence across the industry, ultimately leading to even wider participation across successive editions.”

Dr. Maitha Buhumaid, Secretary-General of the Arab Media Award Board, said: “The Arab Media Award’s silver jubilee is a moment to reflect on a journey steeped in the profound values and achievements of media professionals, institutions, and experts from across the Arab world. All through this journey, the Award has gone from strength to strength, greatly exceeding the anticipation around the annual ceremony and constantly redefining itself as a glossary of Arab media achievements and a sustainable platform for celebrating talent, expertise, and journalistic values that positively impact society.”

Maryam Al Mulla, Director of Dubai Press Club, said: “The silver jubilee of the Arab Media Award marks a historic milestone, reflecting a remarkable journey that has contributed to elevating standards of excellence, fostering positive competition, and reinforcing the role of responsible media. The Award has successfully kept pace with the rapid transformations witnessed by the sector—from print journalism to visual media, digital platforms and content creation—while remaining true to its core values and central mission of recognising creativity and supporting Arab talent. It is thus a testament to the evolution of Arab media.”

The Arab Media Award was originally launched by the name Arab Journalism Award in November 1999 on the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum with the goal of transforming the Arab media landscape by promoting outstanding professional standards and innovation. This marked the beginning of an epic journey, with the Award gaining broad acceptance as a benchmark of excellence in media circles around the Arab world.

Constructive role
The concept of the Award was rooted in a strong belief that media could play a constructive role in serving society, with journalists serving as ambassadors of the Arab world whose professional expertise and creativity could be leveraged to convey deep insights and inspire social responsibility and positive impact. The Dubai Press Club was entrusted the responsibility of instituting the Award and creating the required structure to ensure its integrity, objectivity, and pan-Arab appeal. It devised the Award’s founding framework, with an independent Board delegated to manage the Award and oversee its various tracks. 

In 2021, the Award embarked on a new phase, becoming the Arab Media Award and expanding to encompass three main sectors: Arab Journalism, Visual Media and Digital Media. This comprehensive revamp was designed to keep pace with the evolution of the media landscape.

The Award’s 25-year record reflects the breadth of its reach and the scale of its impact across the media sector, underscoring its stature as a prestigious platform trusted by institutions, media professionals, and content creators. Reflecting its continuous evolution, the Award features 33 categories spanning diverse media segments and specialisations. Through this time, the Award has attracted more than 82,460 entries from across the Arab world, with 359 ultimately emerging winners or honourees. The total value of prizes awarded amounted to AED22.1 million. 

The Award’s Board of Directors has always attracted some of the most distinguished voices from around the Arab world, with 116 of the region’s most experienced and influential media, academic and cultural figures serving on its Board of Directors across eight successive terms. These stalwarts have contributed to establishing monumental standards of integrity, objectivity and excellence that have become synonymous with the Award throughout its journey. 

Beyond the winners, the prize money, and the entries elicited by the Award year after year, the statistics tell a story of boundless ambition and unwavering dedication, with every winner epitomising the pursuit of excellence, impact, and the greater good.