Arab Media Summit 2026 to Honour Media Excellence in Region
Umer Jamshaid
Published September 08, 2026 | 09:15 PM
DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM – 08th Sep, 2026)
The Arab Media Summit (AMS) 2026 will host ceremonies for three awards celebrating excellence and talent across the Arab media landscape, as the region’s largest media gathering returns to Dubai from 15th to 17th September.
The Arab Media Award (AMA), the Ibda’a – Arab Youth Media Award, and the Arab Social Media Influencers Award will honour established media professionals, emerging talent, and digital content creators across a wide range of categories:
- Journalism
- Television
- Digital media
- Content creation
The largest edition of AMS to date will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council. The Summit is organised by the Dubai Press Club.
Over the years, the three awards have become a key part of the Summit, reflecting Dubai’s commitment to recognizing excellence, nurturing emerging talent, and supporting the continued development of the Arab media sector.
The Arab Media Award was launched in November 1999 as the Arab Journalism Award, following an initiative by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. It was established to encourage creativity among Arab journalists and recognize outstanding professional achievements. Following successive phases of development, the Award was revamped and renamed the Arab Media Award in 2021 to reflect the growing diversity of the media sector and encompass a broader range of disciplines.
Celebrating 25 years of recognizing excellence, the Arab Media Award marks its silver jubilee this year. The Award encompasses:
- Arab Journalism Award
- Visual Media Award (Best Economic Programme, Best Social Programme, Best Cultural Programme, Best Sports Programme, and Best Documentary Project)
- Media Personality of the Year Award, conferred by the Award’s board of Directors.
Since its launch, the Award has attracted more than 82,000 entries and honoured around 360 media professionals from across the Arab world. It has established itself as one of the region’s leading platforms for recognizing media excellence and has inspired generations of professionals to raise the quality and impact of their work.
Now in its tenth edition, the Ibda’a – Arab Youth Media Award continues to recognize outstanding media students from across the Arab world. Its six categories are:
- Photography
- Podcasting
- News Reports
- E-Games
- Multimedia
- Short Video
Winners will be announced during the Arab Youth Media Forum, held as part of the AMS.
