Dubai: His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Ports and Borders Security Council, honoured the winners of the seventh edition of Emarat Alaman, as well as its strategic partners and supporting entities, during a closing ceremony organised by the Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) at Grand Hyatt Dubai.
The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Khalifa Ibrahim Al Saleis, CEO of the Security Industry Regulatory Agency; His Excellency Hesham Abdulla Al Qassim, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Emirates NBD Group; Her Excellency Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture); His Excellency Major General Jamal bin Aded Al Muhairi, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Civil Defense; and His Excellency Major General Obaid Saeed Al Hathboor, Director of Transportation Security Department at Dubai Police.
Also attending were members of SIRA's Board of Directors, senior officials, representatives of government and private sector entities, and strategic partners.
The ceremony marked the conclusion of the seventh edition, held at Zabeel Sports District, Dubai Mall, from 2 to 5 November 2026. The event featured a diverse range of competitions and challenges that brought together participants from across the community, reflecting SIRA's ongoing efforts to promote a culture of safety and security while strengthening cooperation, social cohesion and shared community responsibility.
Growth in community participation
The seventh edition of Emarat Alaman attracted strong community interest, with more than 92% of registered participants signing up within the first 10 days of registration.
More than 4,700 participants took part, representing a 25% increase compared with the previous edition. Women accounted for 25% of participants, highlighting the event's expanding reach and increasingly diverse participant base.
Participants represented 79 nationalities and, for the first time, teams and individuals from all seven emirates of the UAE. This milestone reinforced the event's central message that safety and security are shared responsibilities that unite communities across nationalities and cultures.
16 challenges
The seventh edition featured 16 challenges, up from 11 in the previous edition, including five entirely new challenges. The competitions combined physical abilities, mental agility and teamwork as part of SIRA's efforts to continue enhancing the participant experience.
The competitions generated strong engagement, with 95% of teams completing a full round and registering to participate in the challenges again at least once.
Winners honoured across four categories
The event welcomed more than 1,000 teams, while the total value of prizes and gifts exceeded AED1 million. Twelve winning teams were recognised across the top three positions in four main competition categories.
The closing ceremony recognised the top teams for their performance, determination, competitive spirit and teamwork.
In the Community Guardians category, "Transguard Champs" secured first place, followed by "DCD 1" in second and "TSD Team" in third.
In the Community Leaders category, "DubaiCulture2" took first place, followed by "DCAS Team" in second and "Dubai Customs Male 4" in third.
In the Community Spirit category, "Banat Al Fardhah" secured first place, followed by "Super Ladies" in second and "RAK" in third.
In the Community Foundation category, dedicated to families, "Abu Farha Bros" took first place, followed by "Tigers" in second and "Friends2026" in third.
Families take centre stage
The introduction of the Community Foundation category, dedicated to families, was among the most significant additions to this year's edition, coinciding with the UAE's Year of the Family.
More than 60 families took part, reflecting the importance of engaging families in community experiences that encourage cooperation, communication and shared responsibility.
The new category highlighted the role families play in instilling the values of safety and security in future generations, reinforcing the principle that safety begins at home and that the family is the foundation of a safe, resilient and cohesive society.
Partnerships strengthen safety awareness
His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed also honoured the strategic partners and supporting entities that contributed to the success of the seventh edition of Emarat Alaman, recognising their role in advancing the event's community objectives.
The seventh edition brought together more than 30 partners from government and private sector organisations, representing a 50% increase compared with the previous edition.
The range of partnerships and contributions helped enhance the overall experience for participants and visitors.
Among the collaborations was a partnership with His Excellency Mohamed Hilal, an Emirati entrepreneur, who helped communicate the message of Emarat Alaman through a sensory experience connecting emotions, memories and nostalgia.
The collaboration resulted in the creation of the Emarat Alaman fragrance, designed to evoke feelings of safety, serenity, trust and reassurance through scent, adding a sensory dimension to the event's message.
The seventh edition also featured a partnership with Fazaa, offering exclusive benefits to Emirati and resident families, further encouraging family participation and providing added value to the wider community.
Awareness message transcends languages and cultures
Through its awareness and media content, Emarat Alaman sought to reach diverse segments of society by communicating in their languages and reflecting their cultural identities.
For the first time, awareness messages were delivered in more than 10 languages and dialects, reflecting the UAE's cultural diversity.
The initiative was supported through a community partnership with "Emirates Loves", which helped reach audiences and representatives of more than 16 expatriate communities in the UAE.
The collaboration broadened the reach of the event's awareness message and reinforced the concept that safety and security are a universal language shared across cultures and nationalities.
Enhanced visitor experience
The seventh edition also featured a range of artistic, cultural and interactive activities designed to enhance the visitor experience.
Highlights included the sand art performance "The Story of Safety... From the Sands of a Safe Nation" by artist Shayma Al Mughairy, which portrayed the UAE's model of safety and the journey of Emarat Alaman through an artistic presentation.
The event also featured "Art of Belonging", an exhibition by artist Wael Kamel Hamada.
Additional activities included individual challenges open to visitors, alongside experiences and benefits designed specifically for families. Together, the activities offered participants and visitors opportunities to combine competition, awareness and entertainment while strengthening community interaction.
Journey of success
The Security Industry Regulatory Agency said the achievements of the seventh edition represented another significant milestone in the journey of Emarat Alaman since its launch in 2018.
The results reflect the event's continued development in participant numbers, the diversity of its challenges, the expansion of partnerships and engagement with different segments of society.
SIRA said Emarat Alaman has evolved beyond a competitive event into a community platform bringing together citizens and residents from diverse nationalities and cultural backgrounds, promoting cooperation, solidarity and a sense of belonging.
The event also reflects the UAE's position as a global model of safety, security and peaceful coexistence.
The ceremony concluded by reaffirming the commitment to further develop Emarat Alaman in future editions, building on its achievements and encouraging broader community participation in promoting a culture of safety and security.
The event continues to reinforce its core message: The strength of the UAE lies in its community, and safeguarding its safety and security is a shared responsibility.
