Aziza Al Mazmi.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Sheikh Sultan Award for Celebrating the Spirit of Youth, which is the first of its kind in the region to enhance the talents and skills of young people in the UAE by challenging youth to enhance and improve their skills in fields other than academics, has announced that a total of 555 UAE nationals and residents have been awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals following the completion of the requisite criteria for its 4th edition-2024.

This represents a record number of winners since the Award's inception in 2019, which has been held under the patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

The Award extended its congratulations to the creative champions, who demonstrated their capabilities at all levels of the award in its latest edition. This edition witnessed an exceptional turnout, with 906 participants in its three medals and their respective sections. This represents the largest number of entries in a single session in the history of the award's cycles.

For her part, Aziza Al Mazmi, Director of the Award, expressed pride and honour on behalf of the Award in the outstanding achievements of the participants.

“We are pleased to acknowledge new winners from exceptional young individuals who we perceive as the foundation of tomorrow's leadership. They demonstrate the potential to engage actively in the advancement of comprehensive and sustainable development at the community and national levels,” Al Mazmai added.

She continued, “We extend our congratulations to them on their victory and anticipate their continued pursuit of excellence, which we are confident will result in further successes and achievements in their future endeavours. It is our hope that their experiences will serve as an inspiration and motivation for other creative minds in the UAE.”

A total of 363 young men and 192 young women were awarded the accolade; 42 were bestowed the honour of gold, 50 were awarded silver, and 463 were granted the distinction of bronze.

The highest number of awards were won by nationals of the UAE, followed by participants from India, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Oman, Canada, the USA, Australia, and Pakistan, in that order.

Additionally, the Award received participation from students at educational institutions and cultural sports clubs across all emirates within the UAE. English High School Sharjah – Boys and Delhi Private School Sharjah demonstrated the highest level of achievement, with the greatest number of gold medals. The Emirates Scout Association was the most successful competitor, winning the largest number of bronze medals. The largest number of silver medals were awarded to the Sharjah Youth.

The Award is held annually and is open to adolescents and young people between the 13 and 18, UAE nationals and residents of all nationalities. The Award is divided into four distinct categories. The Award encompasses four categories: Adventure, Volunteering, Skills and Physical Activity. In order to be eligible for the gold medal, participants must complete all four sections. Those aiming for the silver medal must complete three sections, while those seeking the bronze medal must complete the first two sections and undertake a volunteering and adventure activity.