Dubai: Why we needed Mentl Awards 2024

"And the award for outstanding mental health initiative from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia goes to.."

The Master of Ceremonies (MC) pauses to amplify the suspense. I catch myself holding my breath. My colleagues, too, are on the knife-edge of euphoria and disappointment. Ramping up the volume and excitement in his voice, the MC casts a glance at our table before finishing his sentence with the words we came to hear: "…the Sync digital wellbeing programme". We are winners.

This was the Mentl Awards 2024, held on November 22 at the Connect Conference Center, Expo City in Dubai. Mentl, now in its second year, is essentially the region's Met Gala for mental health. There are numerous award categories, from workplace wellbeing initiatives to community mental health impact. The shortlisted finalists are invited to "dress to impress", and they do. The venue, too, is well turned out, sporting all the trimmings we have come to associate with prestigious gala events – red carpets, media walls, and mood lighting.

Awards and award ceremonies have become increasingly common, spanning all aspects of life, including sports (The Ballon d'Or) and arts (Booker Prize), business (CEO of the Year) and influence (Time's Person of the Year). Less prestigiously, within individual organisations of all kinds, we also find a myriad of awards, from employee of the month to prom queen, along with participation awards such as "most improved student".

We generally give awards for things we, as a society, value highly – skill, intellect, talent, effort, beauty and more. The existence of an award ceremony honouring those who promote psychological well-being and mental health signals the importance we now place on such initiatives across the region. There was a time not too long ago when mental health was, at best, not even mentioned. This sentiment was eloquently explored by Adel AlFalasi, winner of Mentl's 2023 Mental Health Hero award. Adel ended his opening address by reminding the audience that "there is no wealth without health and no health without mental health".

Award ceremonies, in general, bring together people who share common goals, be it making movies, writing stories or promoting public mental health. Awards and award ceremonies can help create or enhance a sense of belonging to a valued social group – finding one's tribe/qabeela. For those who win well-merited awards, the accolade provides external validation that their work is valued by their peers and perceived as having worth and impact.

For some of us, awards can boost our esteem and might also shape our identities or at least our public personas. For instance, the writer becomes an award-winning author, and the professor becomes a Nobel laureate. Awards can enhance status and reputation, and they frequently attract publicity. What's good for the individual can be even better for the team; when an organisation wins an award, it's typically credibility-enhancing and profile-raising. When the humble eatery becomes a Michelin-starred restaurant, the business booms.

• The mentl awards 2024: A complete list of winners