Every finisher medal carries a story. It's the weight in your palm at the end of 21.1 kilometres, the thing you hang where you'll see it every morning, the proof that on one morning in January you decided to do something hard and finished it. For Burj2Burj 2027, we're not designing that story behind closed doors. We're handing the pen to you.

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Burj2Burj is officially opening its 2027 medal design to the creative community of the UAE. We're looking for one designer to create a premium, collectable medal that captures the feeling of race day. If your concept is chosen, it becomes the medal placed around the neck of every Burj2Burj 2027 finisher.

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This is a chance to be part of something bigger than a single brief. And it's a chance to leave a permanent mark on Dubai's iconic half-marathon.

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TL;DR

• Design the official Burj2Burj 2027 finisher medal.
• Open to all designers, creatives and kiddos based in the UAE.
• A prize of AED 5,000 is up for grabs.
• Deadline is 24 July 2026.
• Kids can design the medal ribbon for the Mini Marathon — no rules, no prize, just for fun.
• Download the Template and Brand Guidelines here
• Review the contest T&Cs here
• Submit your entry here

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Why we're doing this

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There is an extraordinary amount of creative talent in the UAE. Designers, illustrators, and makers are doing remarkable work, often without the big platforms their talent deserves. We wanted to build one. Burj2Burj exists because of community: it's a race built by runners, for runners, that unites athletes of every level. Opening our medal design to the people of the UAE felt like the most natural extension of that spirit.

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So this isn't a faceless commission. It's an invitation to local creatives to put their work in front of thousands of runners, supporters, and partners…and to have it celebrated, credited, and worn.

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About the race

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Burj2Burj is Dubai's iconic half-marathon; premium, community-driven, and built around the experience of moving through one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The 2027 edition takes place on 24 January 2027 in Dubai, UAE.

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What we're looking for

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The winning concept should feel premium, collectable, energetic, and emotionally rewarding, and it should sit naturally within the Burj2Burj brand voice:

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• Friendly - approachable, inclusive, community-driven; welcoming runners of every level.
• Inspiring - motivating people to challenge themselves and experience the beauty of Dubai.
• Determined - built by runners, for runners; rooted in endurance, resilience, and achievement.

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Strong submissions tend to balance three things: an athletic, energetic feel; a sense of ceremony and collectibility; and a genuine connection to the culture and identity of Dubai and the UAE.

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We've supplied reference templates, but you’re not boxed in by them. You're encouraged to explore custom medal shapes, engraving and embossing, cut-out elements, and layered treatments within the specified thickness.

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A few things are off the table for production reasons. No moving parts, detachable elements, spinning mechanisms, or interlocking medal systems. Keep it production-friendly, then push the creativity as far as it'll go inside those lines.

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The full design brief, visual identity guidelines, logo pack, medal and ribbon templates, and technical specifications are available in the contest pack.

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The prize

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The selected designer receives AED 5,000 for the chosen final design.

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But the money is only part of it. Because this medal goes out into the world, and a bigger experience comes with it:

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• We announce you and your design publicly, with full credit.
• You're invited to take part in the event itself, including the chance to place the very first medal around a finisher's neck at the finish line.
• You're welcome into our office to work on the design alongside our team.
• You'll get to see the first shipment of your medal arrive, the moment a concept becomes a real object you can hold.

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Selection is made internally at World's Iconic Events. If your design is chosen, we'll work with you to refine it so it suits production and brand requirements, where needed.

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For the kids: design the kiddies' ribbon

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Alongside the main contest, we've put together a simple template so children can design the artwork for the kids' medal ribbon. This is a supplementary, just-for-fun part of the contest, there's no prize, and there are no rules. Kids can design the ribbon however they want, however their imagination takes them. We'll select three ribbon designs to bring to life.

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It's our way of bringing the next generation of Burj2Burj runners into the story early.

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(Note for grown-ups: a parent or guardian needs to submit on a child's behalf, and the kids' template covers the ribbon artwork — our team adds the required event and partner logos afterward.)

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Who can enter, and how

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Eligibility: the main contest is open to designers and creatives based in the UAE.

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Deadline: submissions close on 24 July 2026. 

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Be part of something bigger

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A finisher medal outlives the race. People keep them for decades. Designing the Burj2Burj 2027 medal means your work will be earned, worn, and remembered by thousands of people who pushed themselves to the limit to get it.

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If you've got the talent — and the UAE is full of people who do — this is your platform.

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Submit your concept. Leave your mark.

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SUBMIT