Digital Excellence Award at Final Stages

Riyadh, October 20, SPA -- The annual “Digital Excellence Award” is
at its final stages, said Dr. Mohammed Al-Qasem, advisor to the
Minister of Communications and Information Technology and chairperson
of the Award Committee.


He said that the ad hoc committee is working on the final stages of
arbitration, which is the quality check for websites qualified for
the competition.


He added that more than 210 Saudi Arabic websites have already
registered for this year Award, according to a press release of the
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.

Dr. Al-Qasem noted that for the first time in the history of the
Award, it was decided to accept, for the Award competition, the
websites of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), adding that this
step would enhance the objectives of the Award and contribute in
supporting the digital world of NGOs.

About the arbitration of the Award, Dr. Al-Qasem said that some 50
arbitrators comprising academicians and specialists from both the
public and private sectors are working on the arbitration process.


He added that those arbitrators apply scientific, neutral criteria
and that e-arbitration is applied widely in the Award’s different
phases.


The Digital Excellence Award, now in its fourth year, aims at
supporting Arabic talents in the field of Arabic web content
development and design.


It seeks to achieve a number of goals, namely; encouraging and
enriching Arabic web content and its relevant applications,
motivating all initiatives that contribute to Arabic web content and
creating awareness about these Arabic language online contents.


It also aims at supporting all efforts exerted in enhancing the
Arabic web content, encouraging individual and/or institutional
efforts to develop Arabic web content and providing Arabic digital
environments that are intellectually aligned with Saudi Arabia’s
traditions, cultures, customs, and norms.


The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) has
launched this Award after it has noticed the weakness of Arabic
content on the Internet compared to the other contents promoting
other languages and cultures.

--SPA