Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Chaired by His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Abu Dhabi Excellence Award for Inclusion of People of Determination – Damj, the Board of Trustees of the Abu Dhabi Excellence Award for Inclusion of People of Determination – Damj held its second meeting of 2026.
The meeting was attended by members of the Board of Trustees: Shamis Ali Al Dhaheri, Sana Mohamed Suhail, Mohamed Taj El Din Al Qadi, Mansoor Ibrahim Al Mansoori, Dr Victor Santiago Pineda, and Dr Layla Al Hyas.
The board commended the winning entities from the award's inaugural cycle for their outstanding institutional efforts, which have contributed to embedding a culture of excellence in inclusion and creating more empowering environments for People of Determination. These achievements reflect the Emirate of Abu Dhabi's commitment to enhance quality of life and expand opportunities for participation across all segments of society.
During the meeting, the board reviewed the key outcomes of the award's first cycle, highlighting the broad engagement of entities it received from government, private sector, and third sector. The board also reviewed the award's impact in raising institutional awareness of the importance of excellence in inclusion, and in encouraging entities to adopt more inclusive policies and practices across services, employment, and accessibility.
The board approved a number of strategic directions for the award's second cycle, including expanding its geographical scope to welcome submissions from all emirates across the UAE, and enhancing the award's categories to reflect national priorities and emerging developments in inclusion, innovation, and excellence. The board also discussed strengthening the award's operational framework and budget.
The enhancements are expected to further establish the award as a leading national platform that promotes excellence in the inclusion of People of Determination and ensures the sustainability of its impact.
His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed that the continued development of the Damj Award, and the expansion of its scope across the UAE, reflect the commitment to strengthen its institutional and societal impact, while reinforcing its role as a national platform that encourages entities to adopt more inclusive policies and practices, in line with the vision of the UAE's wise leadership to empower People of Determination and enhance their active participation across all aspects of life.
His Highness said: "The achievements of the first cycle of the Damj Award mark an important milestone in embedding inclusion as a sustainable institutional approach founded on equal opportunities, high-quality services, and accessibility. Building on this foundation, we will continue to promote innovation and develop solutions that respond to the evolving needs of People of Determination and their families, while contributing to a more cohesive and inclusive society for all."
His Highness also praised the institutional efforts to enhance the quality of life of People of Determination and their families, and support national efforts to create more inclusive environments that respond to their needs. He emphasised that such support provides strong momentum for the continued development of the award and the expansion of its impact through strengthening collaboration across sectors and transforming the principles of inclusion into sustainable institutional practices.
Shams Ali Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Department of Community Development – Abu Dhabi, said: "The continued development of the Abu Dhabi Excellence Award for Inclusion of People of Determination – Damj marks an important milestone in advancing the social sector ecosystem and elevating inclusion from a guiding principle into measurable, sustainable institutional practices that support quality of life and strengthen the participation of People of Determination across all aspects of development."
He added that expanding the award to the national level reflects a forward-looking approach that keeps pace with future developments while designing more responsive solutions to meet the needs of People of Determination and their families, enhancing independence and accessibility.
Al Dhaheri noted that the Department of Community Development continues to work closely with its partners to embed an impact-driven approach based on evidence, integrated partnerships across the government, private, and third sectors, and the encouragement of institutions to develop more inclusive services and environments. He emphasised that building an inclusive society requires a continuous institutional ecosystem founded on data, innovation, and collaboration, with people at its core.
The board expressed its appreciation to the award's working teams, partners, and participating entities for their efforts in ensuring the success of the inaugural cycle. The board reaffirmed the importance of continuing to work in a spirit of partnership and integration in order to reinforce inclusion as a shared responsibility and a sustainable institutional practice that contributes to building a more cohesive and prosperous society.
