Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Patron of the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF), honoured five recipients of the ADMAF Awards alongside 22 graduates of the Young Media Leaders (YML) career development programme. This initiative aims to bolster the capacity of the UAE's emerging creative industry professionals, enhancing their contributions to the nation's cultural and media landscape.
According to Emirates News Agency, Sheikh Nahyan expressed his pleasure in participating in the celebration, highlighting the UAE's dedication to empowering youth across various development sectors. He emphasized the nation's commitment to investing in its people, which he described as the true wealth of the nation. The ceremony also marked the upcoming Year of Community in 2025, a time to foster social cohesion, national solidarity, and intergenerational knowledge transfer.
Sheikh Nahyan noted the pioneering efforts and strategic partnerships of ADMAF, which are instrumental in cultivating a new generation of Emirati youth who can express their national identity through art, culture, and media. He reiterated the UAE's view of culture, media, and the arts as vital tools for human development, peace, and identity reinforcement.
Huda Al Khamis-Kanoo, Founder of ADMAF, highlighted the awards' recognition of excellence in Creativity, Visual Arts, Sustainable Design, and Jewelry Design. She mentioned partnerships with Gulf Capital, TotalEnergies, and L'€š¬°COLE, School of Jewelry Arts, as well as the graduation of YML participants in collaboration with International Media Investments (IMI). This reflects a commitment to supporting youth, fostering their career development, and adapting to changes in digitalisation and artificial intelligence.
The YML programme, aligned with ADMAF's vision, provided university students and recent graduates with a platform for interactive workshops and immersive learning experiences in traditional and digital media. This year, 22 students graduated under the guidance of esteemed media figures, including Mohamed Al Hammadi and Dr. Sulaiman Al-Hattlan.
Rani Raad, CEO of IMI, expressed pride in the graduation of the seventh cohort of the YML programme, emphasizing the intensive training provided within a real-world media environment. Raad commended ADMAF's support for the applied learning model, which combines theoretical knowledge with practical experience.
The ADMAF Awards, presented in collaboration with Gulf Capital, TotalEnergies, and L'€š¬°COLE Middle East, celebrate achievements in performing and visual arts, sustainable design, and jewelry design. Dr. Karim El Solh, CEO of Gulf Capital, underscored the long-standing partnership with ADMAF and their joint commitment to empowering the next generation of creatives.
Notable awardees include Dana Alkatheeri from Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, who won the Gulf Capital - ADMAF Creativity Award for her original composition "The Founder's Legacy." Abdulla Alneyadi of UAE University received the Gulf Capital - ADMAF Visual Arts Award for his installation "Eternal Gateways." Tasneem Albaiti and Alreem Alameri from Zayed University were awarded the TotalEnergies Sustainability Design Award for their research on sustainable paper production. Shamma Al Hammadi from the University of Sharjah won the ADMAF Jewelry Design Award for her piece "Al Dana wa Al Khawasa," inspired by Emirati pearl diving tradition.
These honors reflect a shared commitment to nurturing creative talent across key artistic and design disciplines, contributing to the UAE's aspirations for a future driven by creativity and innovation.