Alya Al Suwaidi

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), has announced an exceptional surge in participation for its Sharjah Government Communication Award (SGCA) 2023, with over 1,530 entries from 37 countries worldwide. The submissions come from communication innovators, spanning governmental, semi-governmental, private, and individual contributors. The winners will be announced during the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) taking place on September 13th and 14th at Expo Centre Sharjah.

This year, 314 submissions were carefully scrutinised and selected from the record-breaking number of entries, and will participate in the tenth edition of the award. The submissions include 91 entries from the United Arab Emirates and 223 internationally. The top 5 participating countries in the award excluding the UAE are Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, and Syria. The SGCA entries also attracted a diverse participation including from Algeria, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Canada, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, India, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malawi, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia, Uganda, the United Kingdom, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Within the Arab categories, the ‘Best Communication Targeting Youth’ category received the highest amount of submissions with 53 entries. The ‘Best Spokesperson’ category received an impressive 41 entries, followed by the ‘Best Integrated Communication Campaign’ award with 37 entries. Notably, the ‘Best Social Responsibility Campaign’ and the ‘Best Communication for Reputation Building and Management’ also received a high amount of interest with 33 and 25 entries respectively.

Globally, the ‘Best Food Security Programme Communication Plan’ registered the highest participation with 31 submissions. The ‘Best Communication through Media Content’ award followed suit with 19 entries, and both ‘Best Communication Strategy for Crisis Management’ and ‘Best Communication Practices or Campaigns Addressing Developmental Challenges’ categories each garnered 15 participations. The ‘Best Applied Scientific Research in Government Communication’ award rounded off the list with 13 entries.

Amidst the dynamic shifts in communication, this year's award celebrates communication pioneers across 26 categories. These include 12 Arab and 14 international categories in modern communication, including creative campaigns, crisis management, youth and sport programmes, and more. The Award spotlights Arab values, influential figures, media and drama, art, and pioneering research.

The SGMB has emphasised that the increasing demand for award candidacy reflects its global status and adaptive approach. By expanding categories and embracing government communication's developmental role, it resonates with both public and private sectors.

Qualitative advancements

Commenting on the growing interest in the Sharjah Government Communication Award (SGCA), Alya Al Suwaidi, Director of SGMB, said: “Since its debut edition, the award has resulted in impactful, qualitative advancements, beginning from championing the best practices of government communication, utilising communication tools to address societal needs and staying attuned to local and global communication developments. This commitment underscores our pursuit of communication excellence and its pivotal role in serving public interests.”

She added, “The Sharjah Government Communication Award has provided a unique platform for communication pioneers and experts in the region to explore leading global practices in this realm, and to showcase exemplary utilisation of modern technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and big data. The award has dynamically forged the way for an everlasting transformation in communication. Today, SGCA stands as a global benchmark for recognising excellence among government communication practitioners worldwide.”

The submissions for the tenth edition of the award came to a close on August 15th. A distinguished jury is now meticulously evaluating entries. The winners will be announced and honoured in a glittering ceremony during the IGCF 2023.