50 female students awarded family Umrah trip for academic distinction

Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) has facilitated an Umrah pilgrimage for 50 high-performing female students drawn from its network of community centres, namely Umm Al Sheif Islamic Cultural Centre, Al Mizhar Islamic Cultural Centre, and Nad Al Sheba Women’s Centre. Participants will make the journey with their male guardians. This gesture, organised within the scope of the Year of the Family 2026, combines celebration of academic milestones with the affirmation of the family’s supportive influence on education. By bringing together learning success and family engagement, the scheme seeks to inspire continued achievement and to spotlight the family as a central pillar of educational progress.

Part of a broader set of targeted initiatives tied to the Year of the Family’s goals, the Umrah experience demonstrates that academic achievement grows out of a nurturing domestic atmosphere. The department highlights that this award is both a marker of the students’ persistence and a source of encouragement. Recognition of this nature bolsters ongoing commitment to study, which the department views as vital to shaping a community anchored in knowledge and principles drawn from Islamic as well as human heritage.

Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Director General of the Department, said, “This initiative reflects a firm institutional belief that real investment begins with people, and that the family represents the primary foundation for academic excellence and balanced character development. He noted that honoring outstanding female students with an Umrah trip alongside their guardians embodies a holistic vision that integrates academic achievement, family support, and spiritual enrichment, while translating the objectives of the Year of the Family 2026 in empowering women academically, strengthening family stability, and reinforcing faith-based values as a foundation for sustainable development.”

He also said that the Department will continue to adopt impactful initiatives of lasting value that elevate the role of knowledge, while linking empowerment and recognition to family-centered support systems. Such efforts contribute to preparing informed female role models capable of making positive contributions to society.”