Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, on Thursday honoured the winners of the Erth Dubai Awards.
The awards are dedicated to cultural and social documentation, with winners rewarded for their contributions to preserving Dubai’s living memory, strengthening its national identity and enhancing community documentation.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, was also in attendance at the ceremony held at the Museum of the Future.
“Today, we honoured the winners of one of the most important cultural and social awards, that celebrates our identity and preserves our memory,” Sheikh Hamdan said. “There were 25,000 submissions from citizens and residents, as well as institutions and schools, all united by one story: the story of Dubai.”
“We congratulate the winners and thank everyone who contributed to documenting and preserving our heritage. The story of Dubai will continue to be told through its people. Whoever does not document their legacy will be forgotten by time, but Dubai will not be forgotten,” he added.
Who are the winners?
The grand prize, worth Dh1 million, was awarded to Nasser bin Ahmed bin Issa bin Nasser Al Serkal in recognition of his outstanding contribution to documenting Dubai’s cultural and social heritage.
The awards also recognised winners across various categories. Ghith Mattar Sultan Al Qamzi won in the best family heritage documentation category; Ahmed Ayoub Mohammed Noor Abdul Karim won for best oral heritage documentation, Abdulrahim Mohammed Balghoz Al Zarouni was adjudged winner in the best creatively documented entry, and Mohammed Sultan bin Thani won the best social media contribution category.
Shaukat Ali Rana Mohammed Rafi was recognised for best contribution by a resident.
Among institutions, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority emerged as the best government entity, Uncle’s Shop won best private sector entity, and New Academy School earned the tag of best educational institution.
What is the Erth Dubai initiative?
More than 12 months since its launch, the Erth Dubai initiative has recorded over 14 million interactions across its platforms and received 25,238 submissions from 54 private and 38 government entities. It produced 16,128 documentation materials, including historical photos and rare documents.
The initiative also announced plans to publish 100 books featuring stories from Dubai’s residents in the next phase, creating accessible references for the public and researchers that enrich the city’s cultural identity. The initiative continues to receive submissions online, encouraging the community to document their stories.
