Sheikh Hamdan presents Dubai International Award to 12 winners

In recognition of initiatives aimed improving people's lives

Dubai, 28 March 2007:Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and Industry and Chairman of Dubai Municipality last night (Wednesday) presented 12 winners from across the globe with the Dubai International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment (DIABP), in recognition of the significant impact they made on people's lives. The winners, who were from Rwanda, Palestine, India, Colombia, Philippines, Peru, Spain, Burkina Faso, Vietnam, Cameroon, Brazil and New Zealand, received a cash reward of US$30,000 each, a glittering gold-plated wind-tower trophy and certificate.

Addressing the gathering at Emirates Towers, Hussain Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality and Chairman of Board of Trustees of the award, said the award seeks to encourage and recognize outstanding human achievements and experiences, to raise awareness on best practices that can improve lives of the marginalized people, and transfer them to other societies.

He noted that the DIABP provided an opportunity to all government organizations, the private sector, local authorities and civil society organizations to take part and present pioneering works and projects in this field.

"Celebrating the 6th cycle of the award, it gives us the pleasure to declare that this award had attracted in its six cycles since 1995 more than 4000 practices from over 140 countries, and the number of laureates reached 42 from all over the world. The number of submissions this cycle was 715, of which 126 were selected by the Technical Advisory Council (TAC). An independent International Jury selected the best twelve practices to win this cycle's Dubai International Award," he said.

The award, he noted, attracted during the current cycle participations from all over the world including those from countries in North America, South America, Central Asia, East Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Anna Tibaijuka, UN Under-secretary General and Executive Director of the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS-Habitat), said in 1995, the late Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum started an exciting collaboration with UN-HABITAT. The fact that the Dubai International Award continues to exist and to flourish is the most fitting tribute to the memory of Sheikh Maktoum.

"The award ceremony for the 6th cycle of DIABP brings together twelve outstanding initiatives. For the first time, two winners are identified specifically for having transferred their experience to others. This is a very significant development. It strengthens the value of the Dubai International award as a learning tool," she said.

Winners of the award said they were proud to hear the news that they had won the Dubai International Award. "Recognition at local and national levels is very important for our work. But international recognition tells us that even by world standards, we are doing something right ... we are doing something good ...we are doing something that others can learn from," their representative said while addressing the gathering.

The winning best practices:

1) Village of Hope - addressing HIV/AIDS, women's right to shelter, culture of peace, Rwanda;

2) Job Creation Through Restoration of Historic Centres of Palestine;

3) Ahmedabad Slum Networking Programme, India;

4) Urban Management and Participative Governance: Neiva's Commune, Colombia;

5) Talisay Rivers for Environmental and Economic Sustainability Project, Philippines;

6) Sustainable Solid Waste Management Program in the city of Carhuaz and the School of Planning and Environmental Municipal Management, Peru;

7) Parla's Citizen's Forum, Spain;

8) "Green Brigade" cleaning, Ougadougou, Burkina Faso;

9) Saving a wetland, Hatien, Habitats, Handbags, Vietnam;

10) Addressing problem of street children, Saint Nicodeme, Cameroon.

11) Youth Citizenship Network, Belo Horizonte, Brazil (Transfer category)