Dubai has taken another significant step in preserving its cultural identity and promoting environmental consciousness with the launch of the “Erth Dubai Award” by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. The award is part of the wider Erth Dubai initiative, a visionary project designed to document, protect, and celebrate the stories, traditions, and values that form the soul of the city. By combining cultural heritage with sustainability-focused innovation, the award aims to create a lasting archive of Dubai’s past, present, and future.
The Erth Dubai Award is positioned as one of the region’s most inclusive and community-driven initiatives. It welcomes contributions from individuals, families, content creators, government organisations, private companies, historians, innovators, and residents across all nationalities. The goal is to build a comprehensive and accessible repository of Dubai’s heritage—one that includes narratives of transformation, environmental progress, and the lived experiences of those who call the city home.
With a prize pool exceeding AED 5 million, the award has been carefully structured to encourage diverse and meaningful participation. It features two main categories: a Community Track and a Government & Private Sector Track, with a total of seven sub-categories under them. These categories include areas such as creatively documented personal stories, family legacies, oral history preservation, environmental contributions, social media storytelling, and projects that highlight Dubai’s green innovation vision.
The Community Track, in particular, places strong emphasis on ordinary residents whose stories form the heartbeat of the emirate. Participants may submit documentaries, written narratives, short films, visual content, or digital storytelling projects that capture moments of Dubai’s cultural evolution. A grand prize of AED 1 million will be awarded to the best overall submission, while winners across individual sub-categories will receive AED 500,000 each.
Sheikh Hamdan underscored the importance of collective memory and the role of communities in shaping the future of Dubai. He emphasized that documenting stories is not only about celebrating achievements but also about protecting history, wisdom, and shared identity for generations to come. Through this award, Dubai aims to inspire people to become active contributors to its cultural and environmental narrative.
Submissions for the Erth Dubai Award can be made through the official Erth Dubai website or mobile application. The platform has been designed to be user-friendly, allowing participants to upload their projects directly. The competition is open until January 15, 2026, giving ample time for creators and organisations to prepare their entries.
A distinguished panel of experts specialising in culture, environment, media, and social development will review all submissions. Winners will be honoured at a prestigious ceremony in early 2026. All accepted works will be preserved in a digital archive, giving researchers, institutions, and the public long-term access to these valuable cultural and environmental contributions.
The launch of the Erth Dubai Award reflects Dubai’s long-standing commitment to blending tradition with innovation. By harnessing storytelling, community participation, and sustainability-driven creativity, the award reinforces Dubai’s status as a global hub that honours its heritage while confidently shaping its future.
