Top innovators win Arab Creativity Awards

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani speaks during the opening day of the Arab Thought Foundation's three-day annual conference, FIKR15, in Abu Dhabi, on Dec. 12, 2016. (FIKR15 via Twitter)

ABU DHABI: The Arab Thought Foundation’s annual conference, FIKR15, wrapped up Tuesday its three days of events, with specialized and plenary sessions, in addition to the annual Arab Creativity Award.
The conference, which focuses this year on the theme of “Arab Integration: The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE),” brings together leading regional officials, policy-makers and academics to discuss challenges facing the Arab world and propose solutions. It was held in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the UAE.
A gala dinner was held Tuesday honoring recipients of the tenth round of the Arab Creativity Award, an annual event in which the Arab Thought Foundation celebrates achievements and excellence from the Arab world across a range of fields. The award ceremony was attended by Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi and many other senior regional dignitaries and delegates from the conference.
Awards were received by Raed Yousef Musleh, from Jordan (Scientific Creativity); Mohammed Yousef Fattah, from Iraq (Technological Creativity); Saleen Tawfiq Al Samrani, from Lebanon (Social Creativity); Abdul Rahman Ali Zughlul, from Jordan (Social Creativity); Ahmed Esmat Ali, from Egypt (Media Creativity); Wejdi Al-Komi, from Egypt (Literary Creativity); and Abdel Massih Abu Jowdah, from Lebanon (Arts Creativity).
The Arab Creativity Award was launched in 2007 with the aim of shedding light on creative milestones and promising innovative individuals under the age of 45. Between 2007 and 2015, the Arab Creativity Award recognized 62 innovators and authors.
The Arab Creativity Award covers eight areas: Most Valuable Book, Scientific Creativity, Technological Creativity, Economic Creativity, Social Creativity, Media Creativity, Literary Creativity and Arts Creativity.
The conference concluded Wednesday with a closing plenary session that reviewed the Ninth Annual Arab Report on Cultural Development, which was launched ahead of the conference.