In a bit of Wamda news today, our CEO Habib Haddad, founder of translation technology Yamli, was awarded in Media Creativity by NGO Arab Thought at the 12th annual Fikr Conference in Beirut.

Under the theme of "Job Creation: 80 Million Jobs by 2020 in the Arab World," Arab Thought awarded leaders in creativity in seven categories: Scientific, Technological, Economic, Social, Media, Literary and Arts. The NGO, which was founded in Beirut in 2005, aims to promote leading Arab figures while empowering youth with educational project in cities throughout the Arab region. 

Other winners include Al Nayzak, a non-profit organization in Palestine which won for Social Creativity, ‘Asabe’ Lolita’, an Arabic literature book that won for Literary Creativity, Palestinian Oud band ‘Le Trio Joubran’ , which won the Arts Creativity award, and Sherif El Safti, an Egyptian research professor who won the Scientific Creativity award for a project that removes toxic and radioactive materials.

The winners will be awarded in a final ceremony in Dubai on the 4^th and 5^th of December, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai; prizes totaling US $450,000 will be awarded. 

"Wamda's media strategy is designed to support the startup ecosystem in the Middle East and North Africa," says Haddad. "By offering advice on creative culture, with a mix of multimedia content, we hope to continue inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs who are already thinking beyond traditional models."