Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid and dignitaries pose for a photograph at the Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament awards ceremony.

Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, UAE’s Minister of Community Development, crowned the winners of the 7th Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament at a glittering awards ceremony.

Held under the guidance of Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, and patronage of Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, the Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament is organised by the Women’s Sports Committee of Dubai Sports Council and participation is open to all Emirati and non-Emirati ladies working in the government, semi-government and private sectors.

Captain Sheikha Mozah Bint Marwan Al Maktoum, President of the Women’s Council for Civil Aviation, was also present at the awards ceremony alongside Sheikha Shamsa Bint Hasher Al Maktoum, member of the Board of UAE Volleyball Association; Sheikha Maitha Bint Hasher Al Maktoum; Shamsa Saleh, CEO of Dubai Women Establishment; Hessa Tahlak, Assistant Undersecretary of Social Development at UAE Ministry of Community Development; Lamia Abdulaziz Khan, Board Member of Dubai Sports Council, Head of DSC’s Women’s Sports Committee and Head of the tournament’s Organizing Committee; and a number of other sports leaders and dignitaries.

Hessa thanked His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikha Hind, for their “constant and continuous support of women’s sports, and generous sponsorship of this pioneering initiative”.

The Minister also praised the efforts of the Organising Committee and the participants, and said: “Success is a result of all the hard work people put in every day, every week, month after month. No one sees the efforts that goes into training every day. So congratulations to everyone and it is really great to see your achievements being honoured on this wonderful platform. “We also happy to see the large number of participants in the seventh edition of the Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament. We saw more than 1,000 from 50 different institutions taking part and we are proud of the high level of competition witnessed through the tournament. The success of this tournament shows the growing awareness about sports and physical activity among women in UAE.”

Congratulating the winners, Sheikha Mozah said: “We are really proud of all the Emirati women who participated in the tournament, working hard in training and giving their best in competition. We congratulate all the ladies who finished on the podium and we are really delighted with the progress Emirati women are making in sports.

“The increasing number of entries every year and the increasing participation of Emirati ladies is the biggest proof of this tournament’s success, and evidence of the tournament achieving its goals.”

Lamia, Head of the Organizing Committee, also lauded the participants and said: “We are delighted to host all the medal-winners at the closing ceremony of the 7th Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament, and celebrate their participation and success, their determination and diligence, and their competitive spirit.”

She added: “As Sheikh Mohammed says, ‘Women are the heart of the country, and equal partners in our march as a nation and its accomplishment’, so we are proud of all their achievements, their resolve and determination, their dreams and their commitment.

“We are proud that the sporting arena has become an important area for their self-expression and to pursue their dreams, and we are proud of the steady pace of growth of this pioneering tournament, which was launched under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan, and under the generous patronage of Sheikha Hind.”

She added: “The Sheikha Hind Women’s Sports Tournament has inspired and motivated women working in different sectors, especially in the government sector, to take part in sports and embrace a physically active and healthy lifestyle. “The tournament is also an excellent model of diversity and tolerance with women from more than 20 different countries taking part in an atmosphere of camaraderie and sporting spirit.

“This year, we had a total of 1,023 participants from 50 government, semi-government and private sector entities. That is an increase of 20 per cent from last year and we really happy with the year-on- year growth this tournament has seen since we launched seven years ago.”