Expo 2020 Dubai opening ceremony bags 29 trophies at global Telly Awards

DUBAI, 30 September 2021. Expo 2020 Opening Ceremony, Expo 2020 Dubai. (Photo by David Jimenez/Expo 2020 Dubai)
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Updated 01 June 2022
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Expo 2020 Dubai opening ceremony bags 29 trophies at global Telly Awards

  • Honors include gold wins in nine categories and award for outstanding event production of the year

DUBAI: Expo 2020 Dubai, the first world expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, has claimed 29 awards at the global Telly Awards across multiple categories for its opening ceremony.

The Expo Dubai Explorer App also won a Gold Telly in the immersive and mixed reality craft-metaverse category.

The opening ceremony won gold in nine categories: Immersive and mixed reality craft — use of AR; immersive and mixed reality craft — directing; immersive and mixed reality general — series/show; immersive and mixed reality general — dance and performance; immersive and mixed reality general — events; online craft — videography/cinematography; online craft — use of music; online craft — set design, and online craft — use of 360 audio.

It also won 12 silver and eight bronze awards, as well as a special recognition for outstanding event production of the year.

Tareq Ghosheh, chief events and entertainment officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “We are incredibly proud of the world-class entertainment we delivered at Expo 2020 Dubai — not just with our opening ceremony, which has been watched virtually by millions across the globe, but also with the continuous 182 days of unparalleled entertainment experiences we tirelessly delivered, with up to 200 live events staged daily across a plethora of world-class venues.”

As the world’s biggest event of its kind since the pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai’s opening ceremony was broadcast to a global audience of millions across multiple channels, including Expo TV and Virtual Expo. As of March 31, 2022, it had been viewed 7.6 million times.

Founded in 1979 to honor adverts made for cable and local TV, the Telly Awards updates its categories to include branded content and social video.

This season’s theme, “A New POV,” recognizes recent changes through a new focus on hybrid events, immersive and mixed reality, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and social impact.

Other winners include ViacomCBS, Warner Bros., Fortune Brand Studio, Sony Music Entertainment, Microsoft, and ESPN.


Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

Updated 24 December 2025
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Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

  • Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month

RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.

The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience. 

Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.

“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”

With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.

The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.

Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”

The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”

Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”

He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”