Dubai Municipality has started its promotion campaign for the 'Dubai International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment'. Obaid Salem Al Shamsi, Assistant Director General for Administrative Affairs and General Services at the Dubai Municipality, told Gulf News that the award promotion started early this year in international newspapers and magazines all over the world as well as on CNN and BBC, in addition to Al Jazeera channel. "Later on, we will start the campaign here in the local media."
The original call for Best Practices was launched in 1995 during preparations for the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) as a means of identifying what works in improving living conditions on a sustainable basis. A directive of H. H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, established a $400,000 prize, and a select international committee to decide who should receive it.
Contenders from over 1000 countries presented over 700 submissions for the third round of the award in 2000. 112 submissions were classified as best practices. Dubai Municipality presented the Third Dubai International Award to the ten winners in November 2000. The winning submissions came from as far afield as Angola, Ecuador, Nepal, Spain and Sudan. Even greater interest is expected for the fourth round, with the deadline for submissions set for March 2002 and the award handout expected in October.
The winners of the Dubai International Award for Best Practices are not just the contenders, but also the people of the world. The most promising submissions are entered into an international “Best Practices” database, which currently has 1,100 Good and Best Practices. This allows the knowledge to serve for the development and improvement of all mankind. (www.albawaba.com)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
