The UAE Year of Award applications are now open, with families and organisations able to submit entries until 10 September 2026 through the official platform at uaeyearof.ae.
The Award was launched under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as a permanent national recognition programme, designed to carry forward the legacy of each annual UAE Year Of theme.
Five categories and three core pillars
The Award is built around three core pillars: Impact, Sustainability, and Inspiration. It comprises five categories covering the range of ways individuals and organisations can contribute to each year’s theme: Main Award, Collective Contribution, Government Champion, Private Sector Champion, and Civil Sector Champion.
The Main Award recognises ‘the individual or family that best represents the values of the annual UAE Year Of theme,’ according to the official award page.
Winners will be announced at the UAE Government Annual Meetings as part of a unified annual recognition programme.
The UAE Year Of initiative is overseen by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, alongside Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Court for National Projects. WAM has previously reported Sheikh Mansour’s role in relation to the initiative’s higher national committee structure.
Inaugural edition tied to the Ministry of Family
The inaugural edition is being delivered in collaboration with the Ministry of Family, reflecting the ministry’s role in advancing the objectives of this year’s theme.
The UAE Year Of initiative brings together government entities, the private sector, and the wider community around shared national priorities each year. WAM reported that President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan declared 2025 as the Year of Community under the slogan ‘Hand in Hand.’
The Award framework is intended to ensure that each annual theme generates impact beyond the calendar year in which it runs, rather than concluding with it.
Building on earlier year-of programmes
Previous iterations of the UAE Year Of initiative generated measurable engagement. The Year of Sustainability launched an open call in October 2024 to recognise entities that demonstrated impactful sustainability efforts; successful applicants received the ‘Plan to Action: Year of Sustainability’s Seal’ for display in digital and physical settings and were featured on an interactive map, according to the Year of Sustainability concluding press release.
A survey conducted as part of that programme found the highest engagement among sustainability behaviours was water and energy reduction, cited by 67% of respondents, followed by responsible consumption at 39%, green transportation at 31%, and planting wisely at 21%.
The UAE Year of Award applications framework draws on that model, aiming to create a structured, repeatable recognition cycle rather than a one-off programme.
Families can submit their stories and organisations can register their initiatives through uaeyearof.ae. The application window closes on 10 September 2026.
