What does it mean to leave a positive mark on the people around you? This is the question asked at the Abu Dhabi Awards, with seven Meylas sessions bringing people together to focus on generosity and the individuals who help strengthen their communities.
Seven Sessions, Five Focuses
Running this week at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, the Meylas programme will allow Abu Dhabi Awards recipients to share their personal experiences alongside the community.
The seven sessions will span five central focus areas: Emirati traditions and values, heritage preservation, education and young people, humanitarian giving, and community building.
Rather than simply looking back at the past, the programme explores how these principles continue to influence everyday life and how they can be carried forward, with a focus on the theme “Goodness Is a Living Heritage”.
An interactive Emirati crafts workshop will add a practical element to the programme, allowing visitors of all ages to connect with traditional skills.
‘Year of the Family’ provides another important thread throughout the sessions, with discussions that consider how parents and grandparents help pass down customs and values between generations in the region.
Recognising The People Behind the Stories
The Abu Dhabi Awards have been shining a light on inspiring individuals since 2005, when the government initiative was established under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Unlike an award limited to a particular profession or background, the initiative is open to recognising people from across the UAE. Anyone can nominate an individual whose actions have had a positive effect on the country, regardless of age, nationality, or current occupation.
With nominations open year-round, the message behind the Meylas sessions extends well beyond these dates. Meaningful change does not always begin with something extraordinary.
Sometimes, it starts with one person choosing to do something good for someone else.
For further information, visit Abu Dhabi Awards.
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