Influencers are responsible for producing some of the coolest content people find online, but for a number of popular personalities in the UAE - their work has always been about "creating positivity".
"As influencers, we train our cameras to focus on beautiful stories of inspiring people to create positivity in the society," said Abu Dhabi-based social media influencer Lowi Sahi.
He was speaking at a social media workshop organised by the Special Olympics World Summer Games team, in collaboration with Google and YouTube, to connect with athletes and raise awareness about people of determination in the region.
"We as YouTubers don't necessarily speak about ourselves, but train our cameras to spot positivity. I will now spread awareness about Special Olympics and urge people to volunteer and cheer for the athletes, irrespective of their nationality or culture, for achieving something big in life. I am looking to highlight the launch of the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games event on my YouTube and Instagram accounts so that people may see it, get interested and attend the event," said Sahi, who has 1.7 million subscribers on YouTube and one million on Instagram.
Noor Stars, another Arab social media celebrity who also attended the event, told Khaleej Times: "I have been involved with the Special Olympic Games team for over a year now, and I have to say this has been the best experience of my life. I have realised that a lot of people have no idea about it. When I vlogged about this event last year, a lot of people were surprised that the UAE hosted such events. Last year, I educated my channel subscribers and followers about the event and, this year, I am planning to do something bigger for the determined ones."
The workshop session that was held at the Youtube Space in Studio City, Dubai, aimed to connect Mena YouTubers with Special Olympics athletes and inspire partnerships centered around creating content to raise awareness about athletes with special needs.
Dima, an official from the local organising committee of the Special Olympics team, urged social media influencers to use their creativity in telling the stories of people in the UAE, where everyone works together to create an inclusive society.
"We have some very big names on board, such as the biggest Arab YouTuber Noor Stars who has 10 million subscribers. These social media stars have agreed to help us showcase the importance of raising awareness about the Special Olympics starting on March 14, and they will show the world how to create positive content," Dima said.
Selim Edd, head of public policy and government relations at Google Mena, said: "We are proud to be working with the UAE Special Olympics Committee to help raise awareness about the games and the incredible people who will be competing in Abu Dhabi this March."
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