Abu Dhabi to reflect on moments of goodness
19 Aug, 2009
Celebrating its fifth anniversary, the Abu Dhabi Awards will officially start its 2009 campaign on the 30th of August, when residents and citizens can recognize the good deeds of their community’s unsung heroes by nominating them for the prestigious Award.
The program has bestowed Abu Dhabi Awards to 37 people over the past five years from a range of backgrounds and age groups. The two common elements between all the recipients are their contribution to the community and the inspirational example they have set.
About the Awards
Established in 2005, the Abu Dhabi Awards recognise those individuals who have made a positive contribution to the community through their generosity and kindness, honouring the legacy of the Nation’s late father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The Awards are made possible through the commitment of the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and under the guidance and auspices of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Maryam Amiri from the Abu Dhabi Awards Organising Committee said: “Public support for the Awards has grown over the years and last year an overwhelming 42,000 nominations were cast. We expect this year to be no different and call on everyone to start thinking about those people amongst us who have given their time to selflessly help others in their community.”
The Awards are not pre-determined by category, so any one moment of goodness can be recognised in any field from healthcare to environmental protection, from animal welfare to education, from sport and volunteering. Anyone can be nominated, regardless of age, gender or nationality.
“The diversity of previous recipients illustrates the variety of contributions that are valued in our community,” added Ms Amiri. “The Awards are presented based on the merit of the deed performed and not the number of nominations received for each nominee. One moment of goodness can be rewarded through just one nomination.”
The Nomination Process
The nomination period opens on the 30th of August and will run for one month, closing on the 27th September.
There are five ways to cast a nomination:
- Visit one of the 124 nomination stations located across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region
- Visit the website: www.abudhabiawards.ae
- Stop a roving nomination station when you see one – look out for the Abu Dhabi Awards Smart Cars
- Fax a completed nomination form to 800 333000
- Post a completed nomination form to 44442 Abu Dhabi
The month-long nomination period will be followed by a period of judging and consideration. The judging panel is comprised of a committee of senior government officials, and recipients will be announced at the Abu Dhabi Awards ceremony taking place at the Emirates Palace in December.
For more information, please call 800 3331 or visit the website www.abudhabiawards.ae
The Marketing Campaign
The Abu Dhabi Awards will be supported by an integrated marketing campaign that will create a consumer call-to-action, encouraging people to nominate.
“Our research indicated that people were aware of the Awards and its purpose, but they required more information on how, when and where to nominate,” according to Amiri. “Educating the public on the nomination process will be the key focus of this marketing effort.”
The multi-media campaign will utilise a number of communications platforms, such as newspaper inserts, a TV advertisement, a viral campaign and branded vehicles to engage a broad cross-section of Abu Dhabi residents.
This year’s marketing campaign concept - ‘The Power of One’ – was created by Impact BBDO, and draws upon the collective skills of local talent, including Zed Communications for the online component, HME for grassroots activation, Impact BBDO for advertising, PhD for media buying and Impact Porter Novelli for public relations support.