Abu Dhabi Awards reach out to young people across the Emirate

Thousands of young people have been coming forward to recognise their own personal heroes by making nominations for Abu Dhabi Awards 2013.

Children as young as the age of six through to university students have been heading to nomination stands and going online to put forward people they feel have really made a difference to Abu Dhabi.

Among them was teenage Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari  - who took to the ice to make her nomination along with other members of the Abu Dhabi ice skating team.

“This is all about local heroes who do not usually get recognition being made to feel special and it’s great to be involved,” said Zahra, who made history when she became the first ever female Emirati to compete internationally in figure skating.

“It was also fantastic fun to get the nomination dropbox onto the ice and have everyone making a nomination.”

The Abu Dhabi Awards fleet has been on the road since April 21st when nominations opened, travelling to schools and universities across the entire Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Volunteers will continue the youth programme until nominations close on May 31st with permanent stands also staying up in busy student locations such as Zayed University.

Youngsters in Al Ain and the Western Region are also getting involved by nominating those who are doing good deeds in the local community.

“I nominated one of my teachers who has helped me so much in the last year,” said nine-year-old Calum Wilson.

“I filled in the form at the shopping mall but some of my family have been online to do it at home and they nominated lots of different people here in Abu Dhabi.”

To nominate and for all information go to www.abudhabiawards.ae.