His Highness Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan honoured the winners of the 9th Golden Excellence Awards at a prestigious ceremony held at Taj Exotica Resort, The Palm, Dubai. The distinguished gathering brought together diplomats, business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, media personalities and prominent members of the community.
The ninth edition continued the proud legacy of the Golden Excellence Awards, which have been recognising outstanding achievements across diverse fields since 2014, under the esteemed patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan, Cabinet Minister and Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, UAE.
The 9th Golden Excellence Awards were proudly organised by Vertex Events in collaboration with Diya India Foundation, honouring individuals and organisations whose exceptional leadership, innovation, excellence and service have made a meaningful contribution to society and their respective fields.
The 2026 Golden Excellence Awards and Summit focused on the UAE’s Year of the Family, under the theme “Growing in Unity”, highlighting the importance of stronger families, resilient communities, coexistence, tolerance and mutual respect.
Addressing the award winners, distinguished guests and supporters of Vertex Events, H.H. Sheikh Nahayan expressed his pleasure at joining the gathering and congratulated the recipients for their outstanding achievements. He emphasised that the awards celebrate not only professional excellence, but also service, character, leadership and a commitment to improving the lives of others.
He highlighted the UAE’s enduring culture of excellence and praised the visionary leadership of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, whose vision has positioned the country as a global beacon of progress, innovation and human wellbeing. He also noted Dubai’s spirit of enterprise and optimism under the leadership of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Reflecting on the summit theme, H.H. Sheikh Nahayan noted that “Growing in Unity” begins within the family, where values such as respect, honesty, responsibility and compassion are first nurtured. Strong families create strong communities, which in turn build strong nations.
He also highlighted the valuable contribution of the Indian community to the UAE’s success story, recognising its professionalism, entrepreneurship, dedication and friendship, and underscoring the longstanding relationship between India and the UAE.
Concluding his remarks, H.H. Sheikh Nahayan called for continued commitment to family unity, human dignity, inclusion, care for elders and support for young people and People of Determination. He congratulated the award recipients and commended Vertex Events & Diya India Foundation for its continued commitment to excellence, compassion and human progress, while reaffirming the shared vision of stronger families, stronger communities and a brighter future.
