MANAMA: The Bahrain eContent Award 2011 was launched yesterday.

It aims to encourage Information Communication and Technology (ICT) field in Bahrain by honouring innovative e-products in 10 categories, and also promoting these winners globally whereby the qualified winners will represent the kingdom in the World Summit Award (WSA).

The award is co-organised by the eGovernment Authority and Bahrain Internet Society (BIS), under the patronage of Deputy Prime Minister and Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology chairman Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa.

The organising committee for the award is formed and chaired by Nawaf Abdulrahman from BIS as chairman and comprises Mohammad Ziad Asfour, vice-chairman, and Lulwa Sami representing the eGovernment Authority, Leena Alalawi and Ahmed Al Noaimi representing BIS and Ubaidly Al Ubaidly as the representative of the private sector.

The organising committee oversees the award processes, which cover two phases prior to announcing the winners. The first phase includes the registration of participants, classification of submitted e-products and ensuring that all entries comply with the terms and conditions of the competition.

In the second phase, the jury committee evaluates participated e-products according to the criteria applied by the WSA.

"The second launch of Bahrain eContent Award 2011 under the patronage of Shaikh Mohammed aims at encouraging national innovative e-content and stimulates the ICT community in Bahrain," said Mr Abdulrahman.

"Besides, the Bahrain eContent Award has become an arena for all national participants to qualify to represent Bahrain and compete globally at WSA 2011.

"Moreover, the Bahrain eContent Award is a joint venture between the eGovernment Authority and BIS to reinforce the partnership between the public and private sectors and support the current leap of the ICT sector in Bahrain."

The award encourages the ICT industry and is an opportunity for all Bahraini businesses and individuals from both public and private sectors to register and be nominated for the award, said Mr Abdulrahman.

"Bahrain eContent Award 2011 contributes in promoting and supporting e-content creativity and innovation in Bahrain, and provides e-content winners a valuable opportunity to qualify and represent Bahrain in WSA 2011 and network with the regional and international ICT markets."

He said the registration is open for all Bahraini individuals, government ministries and entities, private sector businesses and civil society institutions starting and will continue until February 28.

More information about registration and terms of the competition can be found at the event's official website www.bea.bh.