The GIRLGAMER Esports Festival has opened at the Meydan Grandstand. Being held from 19th to 20th February, the event celebrates and promotes women’s competitiveness in esports.
The Festival will host the GIRLGAMER World Finals, apart from gaming, cosplay, concerts, activities and an industry conference. Organised by Galaxy Racer Esports, the Festival is supported by Dubai 10X Media, a subsidiary of the Government of Dubai Media Office, GDMO, as part of its strategy to drive the development of the region’s eSports industry and establish Dubai as a regional and global hub for competitive e-gaming events.
Abdulla Al Mansoori, Team Leader of Dubai 10X Media, said, “The hosting of the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival is aligned with the goal of the 10X Media project to transform Dubai’s media industry with future-oriented projects. Esports represents the convergence of future streams in various sectors including media, content, sports and technology. The growth and increasing popularity of eSports has been pushing the boundaries of what is possible in all these sectors, which makes it a perfect fit for GDMO’s 10X media strategy.
“Hosting events like the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival not only further positions Dubai as a hub for the global eSports industry, but also engages the youth of the region to develop their capabilities in a sector that is being shaped by their innovation and enterprise. We see eSports creating a host of new opportunities for the development of talent, creativity, next-generation skills and entrepreneurship, all of which will be on show at this event,” he added.
The opening day of the Festival saw the start of a two-day GIRLGAMER Industry Conference, featuring some of the most prominent personalities from the worlds of eSports, gaming, media, and entertainment.
Lamia Khan, Director of Dubai Ladies Club, spoke to the audience at the conference on women leadership. “The Girl Gamer Dubai Festival is a prime example of taking action and showing leadership to influence positive change in the area of gender balance and women’s leadership, as well as challenging stereotypes and showing the world that girls can do anything.”
Participants at the Festival have challenged stereotypes and transformed an industry to be more inclusive of girls and women, she pointed out. Addressing girl gamers at the event, she said, “You have undoubtedly inspired young people to believe in themselves and the idea that they can pursue their goals. You girls are showing other young women around the world that anything is possible – no career is out of reach, no challenge is too difficult, and no goal is too unattainable.”
From 20th to 22nd February, the GIRLGAMER World Finals will offer Esports enthusiasts an opportunity to catch the world’s best CS:GO and League of Legends gaming action. The Festival also features the Interschool Esports Tournament, taking place on 21st February. Scholarships totalling AED255,000 will be given out to winners of the tournament.
