Ibda'a 2025: Arab Youth Media Talents Honoured at Dubai Summit

Post by : Elena Malik

Photo : Dubai Government Media Office

Dubai recently hosted the opening day of the Arab Media Summit 2025 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, where young media talent from across the Arab world was honoured. The event, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was marked by the celebration of the ninth edition of the Ibda’a – Arab Youth Media Award.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum honoured the winners and praised their creative work. He spoke about how media is not just about sharing news anymore — it also helps shape people's thoughts, values, and opinions. He said that supporting young people in media is an important step toward building a better and more thoughtful future for the Arab world.

The awards, organised by the Dubai Press Club and supported by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, recognised student work in six different categories. Winners included:

• Ahmed Samir Badwan from Al Ain University for Photography
• Abdullah Khaled Ali from Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai for Multimedia
• Judy Mohamed Zaki from American University in Cairo for Short Video
• Amina Saleh Al-Tunaiji from Higher Colleges of Technology in Ras Al Khaimah for E-Games
• A team from Yarmouk University in Jordan for News Reports
• A team from King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia for Podcast
• Each winner received a cash prize of $5,000.

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 award reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid to empower young Arabs and help them become future media leaders. She also noted that under the guidance of Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed, the award has grown into a major platform for young creatives.

Al Marri praised the originality and strong messages in this year’s entries, saying the winners showed great social awareness and creativity. She highlighted Dubai’s growing role in supporting media and encouraging innovation across the region.

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This year, the Ibda’a Awards received a record 2,736 entries from young participants across the Arab world. A panel of experts judged the entries based on fair and clear rules to ensure everyone had an equal chance. The entries had to be original, non-promotional, and submitted in Arabic or English. Contestants also had to own the rights to their work, while the organisers kept the right to use the submissions for promotion.

Before the awards ceremony, Maryam Al Mulla, Acting Director of the Dubai Press Club, welcomed everyone at the Arab Youth Media Forum. She said Dubai is proud to host such an event that supports youth who are full of ambition and committed to excellence.

Al Mulla added, “Young people have always played a key role in times of progress. Today, we believe the future of media is being written by their ideas and their energy.” She said the aim is to build a media environment that stays true to Arab values and culture, while also using modern technology to share stories that matter.

She also spoke about how Dubai has invested for years in building a strong digital and media infrastructure. Today, the city is home to many leading Arab and international media organisations.

Al Mulla ended her speech with a message to the youth: “Let’s work together to create a space where every idea matters, every voice is heard, and every dream has a place to grow — led by your passion and creativity.”