Sultan Bin Ahmed honours winners of Shams Award
- Last updated: January 26, 2026 | 14:38 ..
Gulf Today, Staff Reporter
Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, honoured the winners of the second edition of the Shams Award for Arabic Content, at the House of Wisdom, Sunday evening.
Organised by Sharjah Media City (Shams), the award celebrates Arab content creators and innovators and recognises outstanding media works that have contributed to the growth of the Arab media landscape.
His Highness presented the award shields to the winners across the various categories. Saeed Jassim from the UAE won first place in the Best Unproduced Film Screenplay category, while Lynn Zayat from Syria secured first place in the Best Unproduced Television Series Screenplay category. Khalifa AlSaeedi from the UAE received the Best Short Film award, and Ahmed Al Habsi from the UAE won first place in the Best AI-Generated Video category.
His Highness, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, also honoured the podcast “I Have a Question,” hosted by Mohamed Qais from Lebanon, with the first-place award for Best Arab Podcast. Hassan Thamer from Iraq received the award for Best Content Creator, while actress Maram Ali won Best Actress of 2025 and actor Maged El Masry was named Best Actor of 2025.
His Highness also presented a special tribute to young Melia Hassan in recognition of her inspiring journey, courage, and profound humanitarian impact, as well as her role in promoting a culture of acceptance, strength, and perseverance in Arabic content. He further honoured the judging panel members, sponsors, and partners, wishing them continued success and encouraging the creation of meaningful, distinctive content that conveys positive messages to the world.
Arab cultural values
The ceremony began with a video presentation showcasing the Shams Award for Arabic Content, an initiative launched by Sharjah Media City (Shams). The award aims to support Arab talent and promote the creation of meaningful content that reflects Arab cultural values. It also seeks to strengthen the regional and international presence of Arabic content, reinforcing Sharjah’s role as a leading hub for culture, media, and creative industries.
Following the presentation, Rashid Abdullah Al-Obad, Director General of Sharjah Media City (Shams), delivered a speech highlighting that the Shams Award for Arabic Content represents the start of a new journey driven by ambition and dedication. He affirmed that from the very beginning, the vision has been clear: investing in creativity is investing in the future.
Al-Obad noted that since its launch, the award has stayed true to its goals and has established a genuine platform for excellence. He emphasised that the second edition continues this commitment by expanding opportunities for a broader range of creative talents, explaining that the addition of categories such as Best Unproduced Television Series Screenplay, Best AI-Generated Video, Best Actor, and Best Actress will further support this success.
The Director General of Sharjah Media City affirmed that Shams has continued to achieve growth through a significant qualitative expansion that reflects the organisation’s ambition. One of the most notable developments is the launch of the Shams Studios project, which marks a major step forward in supporting content creators by empowering talent and providing a professional environment for media and creative production.
The ceremony featured the premiere of the song “Here is Sharjah,” created in collaboration with Sharjah Radio, part of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority.
The song was performed by artists Salah Al Zadjali and Fayez Al Saeed, and its lyrics and melody highlighted Sharjah’s cultural and humanitarian importance, reflecting a deep sense of belonging and pride in national identity.
In its second edition, the award saw broad participation from creators and content producers across the Arab world, with 1,210 entries submitted across eight main categories. These categories included Best Short Film, Best Arab Podcast, Best AI-Generated Video, Best Unproduced Film Screenplay, and Best Actor and Best Actress, highlighting the diversity of the Arab creative landscape and the increasing engagement with the award.
The ceremony was attended, alongside His Highness, by Mohammed Abdullah, CEO of Sharjah Islamic Bank; Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of Sharjah Broadcasting Authority; Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau; Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansouri, Secretary General of Sharjah Media Council; Rashid Abdullah Al-Obad; Salem Ali Al Ghaithi, Director of Sharjah Broadcasting Authority; and a number of officials, media professionals, and award participants.