Rashid Bin Humaid Award for Culture and Sciences

Abstract

This article introduces the Rashid Bin Humaid Award for Culture and Sciences as one of the early cultural and scientific initiatives in the United Arab Emirates. The author presents the award’s establishment in 1983 and its association with encouraging knowledge, scholars, cultural work, and values of learning and belief. The article outlines the award’s objectives, including cultural development within the UAE and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, enriching cultural and scientific life in the region, fostering constructive competition among younger generations, and encouraging students and researchers to engage in scientific research. It also traces the award’s development in terms of participation scope, prize value, and fields of competition, from its early focus on citizens and residents to broader Gulf participation and multiple categories for students and researchers. The article’s significance lies in documenting the role of cultural awards in supporting research, studies, literary creativity, and intellectual production in Emirati and Gulf society.