Qatar Foundation's BilAraby initiative, in partnership with BLJ Worldwide, a leading strategic communications and public relations firm, secured the Gold Award for Best Use of the Arabic Language in a Media Campaign at the MEPRA Awards 2025, held in Dubai in November 2025.
The MEPRA Awards are among the most prestigious professional recognitions in the Middle East’s strategic communications sector. BilAraby’s award recognizes the initiative’s successful media campaigns and strategic planning, and its impact regionally and globally, following its launch in 2024 as a platform for inspiring ideas and solutions in Arabic that reflects Qatar Foundation’s commitment to promoting and perpetuating the language.
Hisham Nourin, Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives and Programs at Qatar Foundation, said: “This recognition highlights that focusing on contemporary Arabic content was a timely and strategic move, showing that our communities are able to engage with the modern era and partake in discussions on innovation and culture in their own language.
“The award highlights how genuine Arabic storytelling can emotionally connect with both regional and global audiences, creating meaningful and impactful relationships.”
Iman Asante, Managing Director of BLJ Worldwide, stated: ‘The innovative integrated media campaigns we develop in collaboration with our partners at the BilAraby initiative and Qatar Foundation serve as a powerful inspiration.
“Our goal is to engage creators and innovators, fostering an environment where visionary minds can showcase transformative solutions across innovation and culture. This commitment has driven us to tailor our approach to resonate with the BilAraby’s audiences in their own language, a strategy that contributed to the initiative’s remarkable success in its inaugural year and the increasing enthusiasm for participation in its local and regional events.”
Strategic Approach
BilAraby stood out as an initiative dedicated to enriching Arabic digital content and fostering a culture of innovation and knowledge exchange across the Arab world. Its strategic media campaigns are distinguished by their creative use of Arabic and storytelling with contemporary, high-quality content. These campaigns aim to fill gaps in Arabic digital content, including bridging the gap between Arabic and other languages, while addressing key topics such as artificial intelligence, innovation, positive societal change, and the role of women in science. They offer inspiring Arabic examples that resonate with young people's aspirations. The judging panel awarded the prize based on strict criteria related to effective language use in communication, a standard that BilAraby’s campaigns exemplify through their modern content.
Exceptional Impact
BilAraby’s media campaigns have translated this strategic approach into exceptional real-world impact. Between January and May 2025, campaign content reached over 421.9 million people across traditional and digital channels, generating broad engagement across multiple countries. The content achieved a significant surge in digital interaction, with 13.3 million views for documentary-style content, demonstrating the strength of contemporary Arabic media.
This year’s edition of the MEPRA Awards saw the participation of 74 organizations and more than 65 agencies. Submissions were evaluated rigorously by panels comprising 130 experts, with the award for Best Use of the Arabic Language in a Media Campaign being granted to the campaign that demonstrated excellence in leveraging the richness of the language to strengthen connections with communities across the Middle East.