GCC-wide government organisations to compete in two categories for the first time

Sharjah, UAE, August 29, 2016:  Sharjah Media Centre has announced that the fourth Sharjah Government Communication Award (GCA) will welcome submissions from 1 September, 2016. In the first phase, government organisations and university students in the UAE and across the wider GCC region are invited to send in their entries to the award’s 10 categories.

In the second phase, which will run from 1 October to 20 January, 2017, applicants will submit their nomination files. 

Themed ‘Promoting Innovation…Honouring Achievement’, the fourth Government Communication Award provides an opportunity for the first time to GCC-wide government organisations to vie for distinctions in two categories - ‘Best Government Communication Campaign’ and ‘Best Government Social Media Engagement’.

Amongst the 10 categories that the Sharjah Government Communication Award includes, the first three are limited to organisations and employees of government entities in Sharjah. Articulating the award’s vision to develop government communication across the emirate, the categories include ‘Best Practice in Government Communication’; ‘Best Official Spokesperson’; and ‘Best Government Website’. 

UAE-wide government organisations, including those based in Sharjah, can compete in four other categories that include ‘Best Media Crisis Management’, ‘Best Government Communication Strategy’, ‘Best Government Intercommunication Practice’, and ‘Best International Government Communication Campaign outside UAE’. 

For government organisations in the UAE and the wider GCC region, the Sharjah Government Communication Award offers two categories to compete in. These include ‘Best Government Communication Campaign’ and ‘Best Government Social Media Engagement’.

The final category, ‘Best Graduation Project and Research on Government Communication’, is dedicated to communication and media students in the UAE universities. 

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Centre, said: “Since its inception in 2012, the Sharjah Government Communication Award has made a huge leap in developing the performance of government communication in the UAE. The globally recognised award has also helped increase the efficiency of communication channels between the government and public, and contributed towards providing government communication functions with the ability and preparedness to deal with challenging developments. Based on our achievements in previous years, we have expanded the geographical scope of the award this year to include GCC countries. We are confident our strategy will further facilitate the sharing of experiences and best practices in the domain of government communication.” 

Al Qasimi added: “We are proud of the achievements of Sharjah Government Communication Award, the activity and momentum it has stirred and the value it has added. We are continuously working on developing the award to better serve government communication entities and professionals.” 

Asma Al Juwaied, Manager of Sharjah Government Communication Award, said: “In every edition, we review the categories, criteria and conditions with the aim of improving and developing the scope and reach of the award. The aim is to take the award forward in achieving its goals to develop government communication and acknowledge achievements in this field. We are confident that our move to open some of the entries to GCC countries will help enrich the award and increase competitiveness among peers across the region.” 

Individuals and organisations that wish to participate in the award may visit www.sgci.ae to view the conditions and criteria for each category, as well as details on registration. 

Social media hashtag #GCA17 offers live updates and news on the Sharjah Government Communication Award, which aims to expand its presence beyond the UAE by encouraging GCC government organisations to develop government communication, its channels and tools. The award also aims to achieve enhanced communication with the public and reinforce partnerships among regional organisations to better serve the region.