His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Sunday, awarded 44 of the best and brightest “UAE Pioneers” for their important contributions to the nation.

Those awarded in the UAE Pioneers initiative – now in its second year – come from a variety of sectors such as education, health, technology, sports, media and philanthropy, as well as from the UAE’s government and Armed Forces. The event forms part of the UAE’s celebrations ahead of the National Day on December 2.

The 44 personalities selected for the award were chosen from a pool of 2,600 people nominated through the UAE Pioneers website and social media channels.

The winners include Abdul Wahab Al Diwani, the first Emirati ship captain; Hessa Lootah, the UAE’s first female TV director; Mahra bint Majed Al Qasimi, the first Emirati school principal; Salam Saeed Kubaish, first public prosecutor; Dr Zeinab Abdullah Kazim, a gynecologist who has performed over 28,000 operations, and Ahmad Khalifa Al Suwaidi, the UAE’s first Foreign Minister. Details