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His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Zayed Authority for People of Determination and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Abu Dhabi Excellence Award for People of Determination Inclusion – Damj, has chaired the first meeting of the award’s Board of Trustees.
The meeting was attended by board members, His Excellency Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili as Vice Chairman, Her Excellency Sana Mohamad Suhail, Her Excellency Sara Awadh Musallam, His Excellency Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, His Excellency Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, His Excellency Ahmed Tamim Al Kuttab, Dr Victor Santiago Pineda, and Her Excellency Dr Layla Alhyas.
The Abu Dhabi Excellence Award for People of Determination Inclusion – Damj, launched by the Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, in conjunction with the UAE Year of Community, is one of the key initiatives within the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination 2020-2024. The award honours outstanding institutions across all sectors for their role in empowering and integrating People of Determination in the public, private, and third sectors.
Following the meeting, His Highness stated that the Damj Award embodies Abu Dhabi’s vision of enhancing quality of life for People of Determination. It serves as a pioneering tool to encourage entities to adopt and sustain best practices in institutional inclusion, enabling People of Determination to actively participate in the emirate’s comprehensive and sustainable development journey across all sectors.
His Highness added that the award reflects the wise leadership’s aspirations for Abu Dhabi to be a global example in social inclusion, by encouraging institutional environments that enhance quality of life, empowering people of determination to showcase their talents, and contribute to the development journey. He affirmed that the award helps transform the values of Abu Dhabi’s Strategy for People of Determination 2020-2024 into a tangible reality, solidifying the emirate’s position as an international reference in adopting the best practices and policies, positioning Abu Dhabi’s experience as a model to be followed worldwide.
The Board of Trustees reviewed the social impact of the strategy and how it has positively affected families and society by enhancing the community's quality of life through the empowerment of people of determination, expanding their participation in various aspects of life, and providing inclusive environments that meet their needs and support their ambitions.
The meeting also covered the award’s themes, categories, and evaluation criteria, as well as updates on the first cycle, including the implementation plan, timeline, application, and evaluation mechanisms, ahead of the announcement of the winners next year.
The board approved an extension of the submission period for the award until 31 October 2025, in response to growing interest from candidate entities and to allow additional time to complete the application requirements.
