du to hold National Day Forum in the presence of HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan

HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, will attend the closing ceremony for du’s campaign to mark the 41stUAE National Day. The event, comprising a Forum, the du Social Media Awards ceremony will be held on 28 November at Zayed University Campus, in Abu Dhabi.
“Our National Day campaign was created as a tribute to the phenomenal achievements of the UAE, and as a demonstration of our love for the nation. Every initiative under this campaign was created and executed by a team of our dedicated Emirati colleagues, who have enlisted the help of some of our country’s finest artistes, as well as our patriotic countrymen, to make this a memorable occasion for us all,” said Ahmad Bin Byat, Chairman, du. “This ceremony will be held at Zayed University in the presence of university students, who are the future of our country.”
HH Sheikh Abdullah will be present at the event to recognise the winners of the du Social Media Awards. Winners will be announced under the Awards’ four categories: Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Social Responsibility Award; Best Digital Video Content Award; Best Blog | Blogger Award, and People’s Choice Award.
The Forum will discuss the sustainable impact of social media channels, with three notable speakers who are prominent members of Emirati society. They are Noura Al Kaabi, member of the UAE National Council and CEO of twofour54; Mohammad and Rashid Parham Al Awadhi, owners of Wild Peeta; Mohammed Saeed Harib, Freej animator and Chairman of Lammtara, and Balqees Zainal, a key member of the social media team in du.
Speaking of her involvement, Al Kaabi said: “Social media is the driver of change in our society today, and has become an important aspect of our daily life. A campaign can start from as little as a tweet, and this is what I’m going to talk about during the Forum.”
Speaking on behalf of Wild Peeta, Mohammad Al Awadhi commented, “The success of online experiments and trials with social media increase when we share them with those around us. At the Forum I will discuss the use of video through social networking for the benefit of the community, to enhance social outcomes.”
“Social media today can become an incentive for creativity and creators if used correctly. I will present during the Forum my experience of entrepreneurship, and how I used social media,” added Harib.
Zainal concluded, “Social media has become one of the most prominent channels to communicate with customers. Using social media platforms, companies can engage positively with audiences to enhance brand image and product lines, and this is what I will be presenting from a du perspective at the Forum.”
Entries for the du Social Media Awards are being accepted until 20 November. Social media practitioners can nominate their initiatives for the awards through www.du.ae/awards. A dedicated helpline – 04 4346953 is available to answer queries as well.
Interested parties can also participate in the ‘Written by the People’ competition through www.du.ae/ar/song, and du’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/du.