On the sidelines of the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD), ESCWA announced on 16 March the winners of the Digital Arabic Content Award (DAC), launched in 2021 in partnership with the World Summit Awards (WSA).
A jury comprised of digital content experts chose 8 winners from two categories, institutions and young entrepreneurs, out of 100 projects submitted from 15 Arab countries. Selections were then validated by a steering committee based on their impact on society in the Arab region, and on their contribution to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and narrowing the digital divide. The selection was also based on technical criteria, including content, functionality, design, technology and innovation.
Institutions
Winners in the institutions category included two projects from Lebanon: Easy Laws, a mobile application and a website that explains Lebanese laws, legislation, rules and regulations, in a simple language and a comprehensive Q&A format; and Kamkalima, an educational platform that provides innovative, student-centered solutions aligned with national curricula and international standards.
From Egypt, Mahara-Tech was selected for offering rich online learning content and enabling a community of experts to mentor learners; and Jeel App for offering educational and entertaining mobile solutions for 3- to 9-year-old children and their parents.
Meanwhile, Madrasa e-learning Platform from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was selected for the educational Arabic content it provides on various subjects to more than 3 million subscribers in over 100 countries.
Young entrepreneurs
Winners in the young entrepreneurs category included Alkhattat Platform from Saudi Arabia, which teaches Arabic calligraphy and arts and offers free online courses, covering different types of calligraphy, with various levels of difficulty.
Another winner, Soundeals, from the UAE, produces high quality digital Arabic content and voice over services for businesses in the region, allowing professional artists to provide high-quality recordings and content services.
Also, from Kuwait, Basma (formerly Follow-Up Student App) stood out for allowing school administrations to directly monitor the learners' academic statuses and performance during school hours and for reducing teachers' administrative burdens.
The Award, which will be delivered annually, highlights the benefits of digital technologies, and promotes the creation of quality content related to the SDGs, especially that the share of Arabic content on the Internet does not exceed 1% of total global content.
