Abu Dhabi: United Arab Emirates (UAE) astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, who created history by spending six months at the International Space Station (ISS), was honoured with the ‘Personality of the Year’ award at the 10th Sharjah Government Communication Award (SGCA).
The two-day International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) at Expo Center Sharjah concluded with a spectacular awards ceremony on Thursday, September 14.
Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, deputy ruler of Sharjah and chairman of the Sharjah Media Council (SMC), felicitated the award winners. Several other awards were given out for government communication and innovation.
Sultan Al Neyadi to return to UAE on September 18
The historic homecoming of the Sultan Al Neyadi, is scheduled on Monday, September 18.
“After astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi carried Zayed’s ambition to space, it is now time for his homecoming. Stay tuned for his return to the UAE on 18 September, following the completion of the longest Arab space mission in history,” the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) announced on microblogging platform X on Thursday, September 14.
The 42-year-old Al Neyadi, who took off from earth on March 3, spent 186 days in space to complete the first long-duration human spaceflight mission undertaken by an Arab aboard the ISS.
He made history for the second time when he became the first Arab to perform a spacewalk, an extravehicular activity (EVA), in the vacuum of outer space outside the ISS on April 28.
Al Neyadi and his crewmates on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 returned to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Dragon’s Endeavor spacecraft, landing at 8:17 am Gulf time on Monday, September 4, off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida.
