H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, honoured the winners of the third edition of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Arabic Language Award, while attending the inauguration of the sixth International Conference on Arabic Language (ICAL).

Sheikh Hamdan said the Arabic language will remain the language of the future, science and innovation because it is notable for its flexibility that helped it play a key role in different civilisations.

"The institutions and individuals should intensify efforts to support Arabic language," he said, hoping that Arabic language would be adopted as one of the official languages across the institutions and governments across the world.

Prof. Ali Abdullah Mosa, Secretary-General of Arabic Language International Council, stressed the importance of the award, which increasingly attracts individuals and organisations.

Dr. Hassan Al Shamarani from King Saud University in Riyadh won the best Arabic learning initiative for non-native speakers. Other winners included UAE University, Reema Zuheir Kurdi, Al Manara Global Library, among others.

The event was attended by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chief Executive of Emirates Group; H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation; H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum; Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and The Future, Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives; Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, and Jameela bint Salem Mesbeh Al Muhairi, Member and Minister of State for Public Education.

The two-days event discusses the state of the Arab language and ways to improve it. The conference is part of Sheikh Mohammad’s endeavour to enhance the importance and position of the Arabic language given the significance of the language’s cultural and historical identity for the Arab word.

The conference is also part of the UAE Vision 2021, which strives to make the UAE a centre of excellence for the Arabic language. The conference has more than 172 sessions and lectures that discuss all matters related to Arabic language

source : wam