Golden accolades for UAE’s EXPO Projects support Dubai’s 2020 Bid

Abu Dhabi, April 16, 2013 (WAM) - When Shamma Al Hosany, an Emirati diplomat representing the UAE’s Ambassador in Washington, Youssef Al Othaiba, walked on to the stage at the NAB Show in Las Vegas at the recent awards ceremony for films in the ‘New York Festival's World's Best Television & Films Competition’, she carried with her the hopes and expectations of a whole nation! It was for her about more than collecting a Gold Medal for the National Media Council’s widely acclaimed film, The Turtle. It was also about demonstrating the UAE’s commitment to the World Expo movement and supporting Dubai’s bid to host a major World Expo in 2020. She reminded audiences of these facts in her acceptance speech. Recognising that Expos are unique edutainment events that aim to inspire progress in many different fields, and to leave a lasting legacy, The Turtle combines an exciting, entertaining and heart-breaking story with some hard facts that resonate across the entire globe. Shamma’s speech touched on some of the elements that combined to win gold at this most prestigious of film festivals. “I am delighted to receive this award on behalf of the UAE's National Media Council, the talented production team they commissioned to make The Turtle, and its cast of Emirati actors including the new young star, Ahmed Al Dahouri. The film was instrumental in the UAE's success at EXPO 2012 in Korea and has since been used in schools in several countries, to engage children on the issue of plastic pollution in our world's oceans. The UAE's ban on non-recyclable plastics was a big step towards reducing this problem and its conservation efforts with endangered marine turtles has received international recognition. Our hope is that this prestigious award will bring the film to the attention of a wider audience around the world. Thank you so much...and please do watch The Turtle.” Commenting on the gold award in one of the world’s largest film festivals, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the National Media Council, Sheikh Abdulla bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stated that such awards are an inspiration, not just to audiences around the world, but also to corporations and decision makers. “This film provides a good example of why adults need to listen to the younger generation. Our actions now affect their lives, and those of future generations. I congratulate all involved in making this very powerful film. It is also a fitting reminder of how EXPOs really can make a difference and how the UAE is committed to win the bid to host EXPO 2020, which will be a major world event focused on creating a permanent legacy for humanity.” This was not the first Gold Award for The Turtle. It also won the Golden Dolphin at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Festival – one of the most important festivals worldwide for corporate films, on-line media and TV documentaries and the biggest of its kind in Europe. The Cannes film award followed on from the film’s enthusiastic reception in Korea where the UAE Pavilion achieved a Silver Medal, beating all its competitors except Russia. At the Cannes prize-giving the ‘star’ of the evening and the actor chosen to receive the award on behalf of both the film-makers and the UAE’s National Media Council, was Ahmed Al-Dahouri, a young schoolboy from Ras al-Khaimah, who has no formal training as an actor but whose performance in The Turtle has been variously described as ‘inspirational’, ‘deeply emotional’ and ‘mature’. The UAE also won a BIE Gold Medal for its EXPO 2008 pavilion in Zaragoza, Spain. Both the main films produced for the UAE Pavilion at EXPO 2010 won gold medals at the New York Festivals Television and Film Awards. In fact, on that occasion a total of five awards were made to the films, including three gold medals. The prestigious international recognition awarded to the films: In the Blink of an Eye and Dream Journey, came on top of a series of other accolades achieved by the UAE Pavilion in Shanghai, including a ‘Number-One’ ranking in two independent visitor surveys of impressions on the participating pavilions. One of these, conducted by a team from the Centre of Public Diplomacy at the University of Southern California, stated: Our results also indicate that, with sensory stimulation and dramatic resonance, the UAE pavilion was the most successful in presenting its national image at the Shanghai Expo. It serves as a revealing case of “strategic narrative” in nation-brand storytelling by achieving an even balance between “credibility” and “novelty” through its content and expressions. Most important, this was accomplished with an adept grasp of the contextual dynamics of the Shanghai Expo. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that the UAE pavilion made a distinctive, positive impact on the image of the country among the Chinese public. The pavilion from Shanghai was brought back to the UAE and now stands next to Manarat on Saadiyat Island. With entries from 50 countries, this year’s ‘New York Festival’s World's Best Television & Films Competition’ presented particularly strong competition and the UAE’s film was competing against all the world’s major production companies, including BBC, CNN, Walt Disney, Turner Broadcasting, CTV, Canadian Broadcasting and others. The National Media Council has now engaged a team to create its pavilion for EXPO 2015 in Milan, Italy, where the theme is ‘Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life”. It is also providing support for Dubai’s bid to host EXPO 2020. The UAE is competing against Thailand, Russia, Brazil and Turkey for the honour of hosting the event. The voting on this will take place at a meeting in Paris later this year, in November. – Emirates News Agency, WAM