Dubai International Award technical committee meets

The 4-day TAC meeting, which will be attended by Obeid Salim Al Shamsi, Assistant Director General for Administrative Affairs and General Services, and 16 international experts, is aimed at undertaking an independent appraisal of validated submissions and proposing a short-list of 50 best practices from which an International Jury will choose the 12 award winners.

Each of the winners will be awarded a DIABP trophy and a cash prize of $30,000 in a ceremony to be held in Dubai early next year.

Lootah said that the Technical Advisory Committee of the Award (TAC) would select 50 best practices out of the total of nearly 500 submissions received for the award during its seventh cycle and an international jury consisting experts from around the globe will meet in Dubai during the second week of November 2008 to select the 12 winning best practices.

He lauded the quality of submissions received for this cycle of the award and for the increased participation of local authorities, government and institutions and NGO's in the award.

He also explained that all submissions received for the award pass a multistage validation and evaluation process.

They are appraised based on the award's seven criterion that are: Impact - The positive and tangible impact in improving the living environment of people; Partnership - Partnership between at least two of the eligible actors; Sustainability - Effecting lasting changes in legislation, social policies, institutional frameworks, and management systems; Leadership and Community Empowerment - Inspiring action and change; Gender Equality & Social Inclusion - Promoting social equity and equality; Innovation within Local Context - Pioneering ideas and practices; and Transfers - Tangible impact resulting from the transfer of skills, processes, expertise or technology.

He added that the initiatives, presented for this cycle, dealt with various issued related to secure tenure, eradication of poverty, economic development, environmental management, land use management, production and consumption patterns, children and youth, architecture and urban design amongst other issues.

"The initiatives dealt with real-life issues and offered practical and tangible solutions to problems faced by each community as they worked to provide a better living standard for themselves. All the submissions received will be added to the UN-HABITAT Best Practices database to help in the sharing of knowledge and the transfer of best practices to other communities around the world."

Mr. Lootah explained.

The Dubai International Award, set up in 1995, attracted during its last seven cycles over 4500 submissions from over 140 countries.