The Board of Trustees of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award, one of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has saluted the country’s visionary leadership that leads the nation with infinite wisdom and compassion to increase the happiness of the community members and enable them to perform their role in the development process.

They also lauded the leadership for empowering women to actively participate in making the nation’s future and seek achievements in all fields.

The Board of Trustees of the Award also congratulated women in the UAE, the Arab world and the world on the occasion of International Women’s Day, which falls on March 8 of every year.

They stressed that the award will continue its pioneering role in empowering women in the sports sector and strengthening the role they play in all segments of the sports sector by honouring creativity and organizing sports forums, seminars and conferences for women in sports; highlighting and honouring the great role they play, whether through competing for medals and trophies.

Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award, expressed his pride in working to achieve the vision of the wise leadership in developing the sports sector and raising the level of sports achievements in the UAE, the Arab world and the world through the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award.

The award is at the forefront of international sports awards in terms of its influence and the pioneering role it plays, not only in the field of honoring creative athletes but also in spreading the culture of sports creativity and supporting creative projects that have a continuous impact on sports and societies in general, and on women in particular. He also said that the award was honoured to be one of the ‘Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives’ for its role in empowering societies.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Award said: “The UAE occupies a prominent position globally in the field of women’s empowerment. Our wise leadership has given women the opportunity to play their role fully in serving and developing the nation in all fields. Emirati women have assumed leadership positions at the level of ministries and national institutions, as well as in every other sector. Women have have represented the nation on international forums in all fields, including sports.

“The Award is based on the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and we act under the guidance of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the Patron of the Award, and Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the UAE National Olympic Committee and President of the Award.”

Moaza Al Marri, Secretary General of the Award, said the award’s membership within the ‘Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives’ underscores the great role that sport plays in empowering societies, as it is one of the most important sources of soft power that has positive effects on societies.

She said, “It is not possible to empower societies without empowering women, who make up half of society. That is why the directives of Sheikh Hamdan and Sheikh Ahmed is what the Board of Trustees of the Award, headed by Mattar Al Tayer, is working to implement in all areas of the sports sector, foremost of which is the empowerment of women in sports, whether through strengthening their presence in leadership positions responsible for decision-making or in the fields of competition as an athlete or trainer.”

Princess Reema Bint Bandar Bin Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States, who won the Arab Sports Personality of the Award in the 9th Edition, said: “Me being picked as a winner of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award is an honour for me and all the women of the country, and I extend my thanks to Sheikh Mohammed for adopting a pioneering and distinguished approach to sports, and for supporting athletes not just at the local level but throughout our great Arab homeland, an approach that is reflected in this global award, which has become a dream and goal for all Arab athletes.”

Sheikha Hayat Bint Abdulaziz Al Khalifa, Member of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, Member of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, and Chairman of the Bahraini Women’s Sports Committee, said: “The day I won the Award was one of the most important days of my life, in light of the wonderful recognition and the fact that this great award is associated with the name of Sheikh Mohammed.”