Doha: The Ministry of Social Development and Family announced Thursday the start of receiving nominations for the GCC Creativity and Excellence Award for Persons with Disabilities.

The award falls in two categories: the creative and distinguished persons with disabilities, and the entities supporting the empowerment of persons with disabilities.

The Ministry explained in a statement that the award comes as one of the pioneering initiatives organized by the Committee of Their Excellencies and Highnesses the GCC Ministers of Social Affairs and Development in the field of empowering persons with disabilities.

The award seeks to stimulate the energies and capabilities of persons with disabilities, their families and society in order to achieve excellence in their lives and provide comprehensive support for creativity and excellence in all areas of life, which enhances their capabilities and supports full integration.

The Award’s organizing committee has set a number of conditions that must be met by the nomin
ees for the award, most notably that the nominee be a person with a disability, without requiring a specific degree or type of disability or specifying a specific age for the nominee.

It is also required that the nominee be a citizen of the country nominating him, and that he has implemented projects, or achieved creative or distinguished achievements that contribute to empowering persons with disabilities, and enhance their opportunities for integration into society.

As for nominating entities that support the empowerment of persons with disabilities, it is required that the entity be from the voluntary civil sector or one of the private commercial sector institutions, and nominations from official or governmental entities are not accepted.

The entity must also have implemented projects or initiatives aimed at empowering persons with disabilities, and that these projects achieve tangible results that contribute to this empowerment.

Source: Qatar News Agency