10 Million Meals campaign brings home global awards

The "10 Million Meals" campaign, which was launched to support COVID-19-hit communities in the UAE throughout the Holy month of Ramadan, has bagged six Cresta Awards in creativity and innovation and five SHORTY Social Good Awards for driving positive impact in society.

The campaign was also shortlisted for MEPRA Award’s Best Campaign in the Middle East in 2020 for its innovative idea, design and execution.

Launched by H.H. Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of UAE Food Bank, the ’10 Million Meals’ campaign had secured 15.3 million meals to low-income families and individuals impacted by COVID-19 pandemic.

The World’s Tallest Donation Box has garnered 34 international nominations and awards.

Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary General of Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Initiatives (MBRGI) said, "Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum’s approach to humanitarian work sets an example of using innovation to reach all segments of the society and create solidarity to achieve a sound positive impact."

He added, "Sheikha Hind’s initiatives receive widespread admiration for their capacity to empower vulnerable communities and inspire entities to support humanitarian work in an innovative manner. Employing innovation in humanitarian work stems from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s vision to institutionalize philanthropy and regularly follow up its results and execution. The UAE aims to set new criteria for humanitarian work to provide efficient and swift response to crises, disasters and emergencies to preserve people’s dignities and improve lives."

A combo image shows Burj Khalifa lights up as part of the '10 million meals campaign.'

Al Gergawi noted that the international awards that recognise the UAE’s humanitarian initiatives present tangible evidence on their leading status, impact and innovation worldwide. "The impactful initiatives reflect the UAE’s deeply-rooted humanitarian values of giving and dedication. The UAE is built on the principles of aiding the vulnerable and lending a helping hand to the disadvantaged whenever needed, fulfilling no other objective than to improve lives across every corner of the world."

The ‘10 Million Meals’ campaign created a large move of solidarity across the UAE, drawing overwhelming financial and in-kind donations from citizens and residents of over 115 nationalities, as well as public and private companies. More than 1,000 volunteers helped distribute the donated meals across the UAE.

The UAE’s humanitarian initiatives present tangible evidence on their leading status, impact and innovation worldwide.

While companies and prominent entrepreneurs pledged 5.7 million meals, collective donations of humanitarian and charity organizations helped secure 6.8 million meals in the campaign that was overseen by the MBRGI in collaboration with Social Solidarity Fund Against COVID-19. The UAE Food Bank, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, and UAE Water Aid Foundation, Suqia UAE, executed the campaign in collaboration with ministries, federal and local entities and humanitarian and charitable organizations in the UAE.

Launched to support the ’10 Million Meals’ campaign, the World’s Tallest Donation Box has garnered 34 international nominations and awards. Launched in collaboration with Burj Khalifa, the World’s Tallest Donation Box drew donations that secured 1.2 million meals within a week of its launch in May 2020.

Putting Burj Khalifa’s 1.2 million lights for sale for as little as Dh10 each, the initiative provided one meal for each light, beaming the world’s tallest tower in a powerful gesture of solidarity and hope to people impacted by COVID-19 across the world.

The World’ Tallest Donation Box won six Cresta Awards, which recognises innovative campaigns in 24 different categories. The initiative bagged the Cresta’s gold award in digital design; two silver awards in the two categories of campaign websites and microsites, and integrated digital campaigns; three bronze awards in healthcare — Covid-19 Special Categories, Creative technology — Use of Data, and Microsite.

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The World’s Tallest Donation Box was also shortlisted for Cresta’s Brand Activism, Real Time Advertising and the "Wish we’d though of that award" categories.

The World’s Tallest Donation Box took home five wins in five categories of the SHORTY Social Good Awards: Best Emergency Relief, Best Work for Hunger & Poverty Relief, Best Work in Government and Politics, Best Data Visualization and the gold award in the Best in Real Time Response. Other contestants in the award included World Health Organisation, WHO, United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, United Nations Population Fund, Greenpeace, Goofle and National Geographic.

Officials distribute meals to the needy persons.

The SHORTY Social Good Awards honors social media and digital campaigns with a humanitarian dimension in more than 80 categories. It is created to raise global awareness on the positive impact brands, agencies and nonprofits can have on society.

The Directory Magazine, which showcases the most innovative ideas in advertising communication from around the world, praised the World’s Tallest Donation Box initiative in its 56th edition. The magazine, published quarterly, features 40 new campaign ideas per issue. It recognized the initiative for its role in creating an inspiring social solidarity to support those impacted by COVID-19.

The World’s Tallest Donation Box was also shortlisted for MEPRA’s Best Campaign in the Middle East in 2020.

Earlier in October, the ITP’s Arab Woman Awards UAE named Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum as the Humanitarian of the Year 2020 for her leadership of the ‘10 Million Meals’ campaign. The award was held in partnership with UN Women, the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

WAM