Nominations for the second round of the Great Arab Minds Award are now open, the Dubai Ruler announced in a social media post on Wednesday, October 2.
The award was launched a year ago “to celebrate the Arab person, appreciate him in his society and among his family, and enhance his confidence in his potential and capabilities,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
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The leader added that the awards are “a seed that we plant today for the future”, and seeks to enhance Arab people’s confidence in their role in shaping the time to come.
The Great Arab Minds awards’ six categories encompass medicine, engineering and technology, economics, natural sciences, architecture and design, and literature and arts. Nominations for both individuals and institutions close on October 31, 2024.
The second edition of Great Arab Minds will honour six winners. The winner in each category will receive Dh1 million, which means the programme offers a total prize pool of Dh6 million. The initiative, also known as the ‘Arab Nobel Prize’, was launched by the Dubai Ruler with a budget of Dh100 million.
Evaluation is based on comprehensive criteria, including the achievement itself, evidenced results, certificates, patents, publications, books, research, and projects, after which there is a final competing round before the winners are ultimately crowned.
The Great Arab Minds judging panels include ministers, officials, experts, and specialists from the UAE, the Arab world, and across the world.
Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the Committee overseeing the Great Arab Minds initiative, said: “Our goal with the Great Arab Minds initiative is to reignite the centuries-long leadership of the Arab world in its scientific contribution to humanity.”
Al Gergawi urged academic, cultural, and knowledge institutions across the Arab world, as well as individuals, to nominate exceptional Arabs with outstanding achievements. He noted that the Great Arab Minds initiative is beginning to serve as a catalyst for the reverse migration of gifted Arabs eager to return to the region to contribute to development, innovation, and creativity.