Sheikh Mohammed hands over the Arab Hope Maker trophy to Tala Al Khalil in Dubai.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, crowned on Sunday, the first Hope Maker in the Arab world, Tala Al Khalil from Iraq, from among more than 58,000 nominations received by the fourth edition of Hope Makers.

The largest initiative of its kind in the Arab world to honour those who have been working towards humanitarian efforts and community initiatives through which they seek to change the reality of their societies for the better at the closing ceremony held at the “Coca-Cola Arena” in Dubai.

The winner receives a financial reward worth Dhs 1 million.

Sheikh Mohammed directed that the four “Hope Makers” be given the same value as the first “Hope Maker” award during the honoring ceremony in Dubai.

The closing ceremony witnessed the presence of an elite group of influential media, humanitarian and cultural figures in the Arab world.

The operetta included “The Arab Dream,” which was revived by the “Hope Makers” initiative to celebrate the first hope makers for its fourth session. The ceremony reviewed inspiring humanitarian stories that shed light on a group of humanitarian soldiers who harnessed their efforts and resources to serve their communities, before crowning the first hope maker in the Arab world.

The jury of the “Hope Makers” initiative selected the candidates for the final stage, based on the distinguished impact achieved by the owners of these initiatives in their communities, an impact supported by facts, evidence and numbers, so that the qualifying initiative succeeds in addressing a specific problem and finding innovative solutions to it, and adapting the resources available to them.

The selected candidates presented their humanitarian and community initiatives in detail before the judging committee, which includes an elite group of specialists and competencies, and evaluates each nomination according to specific criteria that include the topic of the initiative and the challenges associated with it, its role in making real and tangible change, and its ability to reach the target segment.

The “Hope Makers” initiative falls under the umbrella of the “Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation Global Initiatives” and is consistent with the vision of Sheikh Mohammed of the necessity of striving to spread hope and positivity in the region, devoting a culture of giving, spreading optimism, and not surrendering to despair at all.

The initiative aims to highlight the hope makers in our Arab world, men, women, young men and women, who work in a dedicated spirit to serve others and improve their living conditions, and to honor these people who create hope and contribute to improving life by introducing them and their projects, enhancing their fame, and providing them with financial support to help them. In continuing their volunteer projects and their distinguished individual efforts in instilling hope in their environments and communities and expanding the scope of their initiatives to benefit the largest possible number of people.