The Dubai International Award for Best Practices (DIABP) was established under the directive of the late Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, during the United Nations International Conference that convened in Dubai between 19 – 22 November 1995. The Award reflects the continuing policy and commitment of the Dubai Government and the United Arab Emirates towards sustainable development of human settlements on the basis of mutual international cooperation. The award is administered jointly with UN-HABITAT. To date, nearly 4,000 practices from 140 countries have been collected and documented. These are managed and disseminated via the Best Practices Database and are classified into one of four categories - Award Winners, Best Practices, Good Practices or Promising Practices.

The Award
Every two years, 12 award winners are selected from a large number of applicants (500+). Two of the 12 awards are reserved for best practice transfers. Each winning best practice receives:

1. US$ 30,000 (Thirty thousand US Dollars)
2. A trophy and a commemorative certificate.

Travel and accommodation is provided for a delegation of up to two persons from each winning practice to attend the award ceremony.

Eligibility
The Award is open to:

1. Government organizations or agencies, including bilateral aid agencies e.g. CIDA, DFID, SIDA, USAID etc;
2. National Habitat Committees or Focal Points;
3. Multilateral Agencies (United Nations Agencies, World Bank, etc.)
4. Cities, local authorities and their associations;
5. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs);
6. Community-based organizations (CBOs);
7. Private Sector;
8. Research and academic institutions;
9. Media;
10. Public or private foundations;
11. Individuals are eligible for the Dubai International Award provided that they are submitting a specific initiative or project that meets the Best Practice criteria.

Criteria
The major criteria for a Best Practice to be considered for the Award are outlined in the Dubai International Award Submission Guidelines found at the bottom of this page and include:

1. Impact in improving the living environment of people particularly the poor and disadvantaged
2. Partnership between at least two actors that meet the criteria in the guidelines
3. Sustainability demonstrated by lasting changes in legislation, social policies, institutional frameworks and management systems

Additional criteria and considerations include:

1. Leadership and community empowerment
2. Gender equality and social inclusion
3. Innovation within local context and transferability
4. Tangible impact resulting from the transfer of ideas, skills, processes, knowledge, expertise or technology.

Submissions and Time Table for the 2012 Award Cycle