The Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities 2023 Concludes in Abu Dhabi.. The UAE Team Secures First Place in the eCreative IoT Challenge

Award Ceremony held at ADNEC celebrated 36 individuals, 12 teams, and 5 special winners

October 31, 2023; Abu Dhabi, UAE

The Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities 2023 (GITC 2023), a unique event taking place in the Middle East and North Africa region, for the first time concluded with the UAE team winning the first prize for eCretive IoT challenge. After two thrilling days of intense competition at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi, the grand announcement and award ceremony recognized winners in six challenge categories celebrating 36 individuals, 12 teams, and 5 special winners.

The organizing committee of the challenge recognized the teams and individuals for their exceptional achievements across various categories. Five special awards were presented, including the Global Technology Leader Award 2023, which was awarded to Muhammad Nazir Danesh from Malaysia in recognition of his exceptional talent. Marian Sharifa from Kenya and Elias Bobe from Ethiopia were honored with the esteemed Super Challenger awards. Participants from Malaysia won a total of 19 awards in various individual competition categories. Additionally, contribution awards were given to the Philippines and the Malaysia team acknowledging their outstanding contributions.

During the awards ceremony, Asaad Hawas Al Sadid, Director of the Project Management Office at the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination praised this groundbreaking challenge that brought together 536 participants from 18 countries. Among them, 461 young men and women between the ages of 14 and 23 participated, alongside 75 dedicated supervisors, including government experts in the field of disabilities from the participating countries.

This extraordinary gathering transcended geographical boundaries, as representatives from 16 countries attended in person, while two nations actively participated through virtual video conferencing.

In his speech during the award ceremony, he stated, “We must recognize that people of determination possess unique abilities, talents, and goals that enable them to confront the challenges they face. We must support their rights to equal opportunities and privileges, just like everyone else.” He also called for improvement, innovation, and collaborative efforts to enhance the usability and effectiveness of assistive technology.

Hawas expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the successful hosting and organization of the competition and its accompanying events. This includes the speakers, committee members, and attendees. He also extended his thanks to the organization’s partners from the local community, such as the University of Al Ain, Cyber Security, CyberJet, and Abu Dhabi Polytechnic. Additionally, he acknowledged the exceptional participation of the Abu Dhabi Police leadership and the Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Academy.

Hawas also thanked the challenge’s sponsors, the Zayed Volunteer and Rescue Team, and the organizers who put in their efforts to achieve this outstanding success.

The total number of participating countries in the 2023 Global Information Technology Challenge for Youth with Disabilities was 18, categorized by regions as follows:

North East Asia (3 countries): Korea, Mongolia, China.

South East Asia (7 countries): Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines.

South Asia (4 countries): Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan.

Middle East (1 country): United Arab Emirates.

Africa (3 countries): Ethiopia, Kenya, Egypt.

The Grand Finale of GITC 2023 unfolded over two exhilarating days on October 25th and 26th, featuring a series of captivating competitions. The first day brought forth two prominent contests: “eCreative Smart Car,” which assessed participants’ self-driving car programming skills using the Scratch program, and “eContent,” where participants displayed their creativity by creating and editing videos on specific topics.

The second day presented four more intriguing challenges: “eToolPpt” evaluated presentation slide creation and editing skills, “eTool Excel” assessed proficiency in data functions, calculations, and editing under specific conditions, “eLifeMap” measured the ability to use the internet to address everyday life challenges, and “eCreativeIOT” assessed the ability to improve the lives of people with disabilities through IT or innovative ideas.