Due to public demand, next year’s event will see different categories included in recognition of more local talents, Najah Qatari’s deputy Chairman told Doha News.

Ten of Qatar’s most successful masterminds won Najah Qatari’s award after amassing support via a public vote.

The Najah Qatari or “Qatari Success” event is one of the country’s biggest annual events attended by royal family members, ministers, Qatari businessmen and women, inventors and prominent public figures across several fields. 

This year, Minister of Health Dr. Hanan Al-Kuwari along with a number of prominent Qatari figures attended the long-awaited event to award the country’s most influential figures at the closing ceremony on Saturday.

For the first time since the event was launched in 2017, the winners were chosen based on the people’s votes.

The first award under the best enterprise for the Business Pioneer category went to Snoonu, a local delivery app and a favourite to at least 200,000 people in the Gulf state.

The Best Ministry or Government Service Organisation went to Ashghal – the country’s public works authority that has stepped up work in recent years to develop roads and traffic systems nationwide. 

“We are proud of the Qatari companies that have succeeded in meeting the market needs through locally made materials to contribute to implementing the state projects, and compete with their counterparts worldwide in line with QNV 2030,” said president of Ashghal Dr. Eng. Saad bin Ahmed Al Mohannadi.

For the Best TV Show on a Local Channel award, Al Rail al Awal on Al Rayyan TV was recognised for its efforts, while the Best Young TV Presenter award went to Saoud Al Maadeed. The Best Newspaper award went to Al Raya.

Abdullah Al Ghaferi, considered one of the top social media influencers in the Gulf state with over half a million followers on Instagram alone, beat 13 others to secure the Social Media Influencer prize 

Poet Ali Ahmad al Kuwari clinched the Best Poem 20/21 award while Best Social Media Platform went to Nadeeb Qatar.

“We consider this award a huge victory in the history of Nadeeb Qatar platform, and we’re looking forward to more achievements,” a representative of Nadeeb Qatar, Mohammed Al Gemaily told Doha News. 

Meanwhile, Qatari engineer Iman Al Hamad, who invented a fraud detector system won the the Best Inventor award.

“I have yielded many achievements with this invention on the local and international level. Recently, I won the silver medal in the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions in the name of Qatar,” she told Doha News.

“Najah Qatari was a special experience, especially that I was competing with my fellow Qatari inventors who have big inventions, so competing over one award was a rich experience,” she said. 

“Being the only woman in a competition dominated by men was challenging, but due to the people’s support and voting I was able to claim the title,” she added, thanking the public for believing in her. 

Finally, the Compass of the Future Initiative won the the Best Youth Initiative.

In an interview with Doha News, social entrepreneur Eman al Obaide said that “this honouring is a merit to the Compass of the Future which helped more than 500 people and directed them to choose their field of work and studies.

“I am so proud of this accomplishment and pleased to be part of this event which aims to support the youth and especially women which is the mainstay of societal development,” she added. 

Read also: Get voting! Najah Qatari to award Gulf state’s most inspiring personalities, entities

In total, 200,000 people participated in the voting this year.

Speaking to Doha News, Deputy Chairman of Najah Qatari Sheikh Mohammed bin Nawaf Al Thani said that despite the ongoing pandemic the event was successful.

Asked about the Twitter debate on including more categories in the award ceremony, Sheikh Mohammed revealed that the event organisers are considering expanding to include more diverse categories of successful people within the society. 

“We are currently considering the idea of adding other categories in next year’s event,” he said, noting photography may be added as a new category next year. 

“We always aspire to improve and meet the people’s expectations,” he added.

Held under the slogan “Yesterday’s Dream, Today’s Reality,” this year’s event offered free workshops and sessions for all citizens and residents.

The workshops included personal planning, effective financial planning for entrepreneurs, digital marketing secrets, entrepreneurship (producing and studying project ideas, organising and managing events as well as the secret and technicalities of photography with smart phone devices.

This year, 16 different entities participated, including ministries, organisations and sponsors.