Young innovators to boost Arab digital content
Winners of the First Arab Digital Content Competition awarded in Dubai
Dubai, 31 March 2014 – The winners of the First Arab Digital Content Competition were announced today at the World Telecommunication Development Conference taking place in Dubai.
Mr Mohamed Imad, a young man from Palestine created Shoghly, an online marketplace for digital products. Mr Muhammad Zidat, also from the Palestine, invented Rahal, a mobile application that provides travel information; and Mr Chehab Mustafa Helmy from Egypt developed Netknowlogy, a web-based directory featuring interesting websites, e-tools, apps and e-services in Arabic and English as well as tutorials on how to utilize the Internet.
The competition, launched in October 2013, is aimed at fostering innovative ideas among young social entrepreneurs working to promote Arabic Digital Content.
“Increasing content in native languages is vital to maximizing access to ICTs,” said ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun I. Touré.
Addressing the Award Ceremony, Brahima Sanou, the Director of ITU’s Telecommunication Development Bureau, stressed that Arab Digital Content accounts for only 3 per cent of all content on the Internet. “It therefore becomes evident that efforts need to be made to harness the young innovators in the Arab Region to promote Arab Digital Content,” Sanou said.
The competition was sponsored by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) in Bahrain. Partners included UN-ESCWA, the Information Technology Institute in Egypt, and Arabnet.
Mr Ebrahim Al Haddad, Director of the ITU’s Arab States Regional Office in Cairo, announced the second round of the Arab Digital Content competition, which will be launched in Muscat, Oman from 4-5 May 2014. The theme will be: Innovations in Arab e-Education Digital Content. Sponsors and partners are currently invited to join.
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