Following the great success of the world’s first international photography competition documenting the achievements and challenges of People of Determination, the organizing committee of AccessAbilities Expo, in collaboration with the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA), announced the launch of a UAE edition of the photography competition under the title Determination Without Limits: Local Edition.
The competition will be held on 6 October, the opening day of the 7th edition of AccessAbilities Expo, which is taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre until 8 October 2025, with the participation of 250 international and local exhibitors.
This competition aims to unleash the creativity of professional photographers and photography enthusiasts across the country, capturing moments of determination, innovation, accessibility, and empowerment experienced by People of Determination during the exhibition.
It also seeks to raise awareness on the importance of empowering People of Determination, giving them opportunities to showcase their capabilities and resilience, and spreading a culture of accessibility through impactful images that document moments of joy and challenge in their lives.
The organizers announced an open invitation for amateur and professional photographers to visit the exhibition on October 6 to capture powerful moments of determination, interaction between People of Determination and visitors, and the transformative impact of assistive technologies when tried or used to enhance quality of life, enable progress, ensure greater independence, and support mobility.
His Excellency Ali Khalifa Bin Thalith, Secretary-General of HIPA, said:
“This artistic event carries a noble humanitarian and developmental purpose. It aims to strengthen hope and resilience, explore and refine visual talents, support creative expression, and deepen community inclusion through photography. Supporting and empowering People of Determination is at the heart of our mission.”
Ghassan Suleiman, CEO of AccessAbilities Expo, added:
“We are delighted to launch the local edition of Determination Without Limits after the international edition’s success. Our aim is to open more opportunities for photographers in the UAE to showcase their artistic talents and engage with a noble initiative that highlights the abilities and daily challenges of People of Determination.”
Competition Mechanism – Local Edition
Regarding participation requirements, the organizers stated that participants must be physically present at the exhibition halls on October 6, the opening day, and hold a valid entry badge.
All participants must register for free by scanning the QR code located at the HIPA Determination Without Limits Stand (Booth No. 350, Hall 7) to access the electronic registration form, and then capture their photographs of interactions with People of Determination at the exhibitionespecially while they try assistive technologies that help improve their lives.
After submissions are uploaded on October 6, the judging panel will evaluate the entries the following day. On the closing day of AccessAbilities Expo, October 8, a special awarding ceremony will be held to honor the winners and present them with their cash prizes.
Photo Submission Guidelines
Participants must submit their photos exclusively through Instagram, in the form of a carousel post containing between 5 and 10 photos taken during the exhibition.
They must tag the Instagram accounts: @accessabilitiesexpo and @hipaae, and mention both “AccessAbilities Expo” and “HIPA” in the caption. The official hashtags to use are: #AAExHIPA_2025 and #DeterminationWithoutLimits.
Instagram accounts must be set to public until winners are announced. The deadline for submission is October 6, 11:59 PM (UAE time, GMT+04:00). AI-generated images are strictly prohibited.
A special ceremony to honor the winners will be held on October 8, where prizes will be distributed to winners of both the international and local competitions.
All local competition participants will receive certificates of participation, while the top three winners will be awarded cash prizes in recognition of their efforts, creativity, and ability to tell inspiring stories from within AccessAbilities Expo.
