Dubai: A number of leading global and Arab influencers and content creators participating in the 1 Billion Followers Summit said that the event has become a pivotal milestone in the global digital media industry, transcending its traditional role as a networking gathering to establish itself as a comprehensive platform for education and development.

In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Simon Squibb, British entrepreneur, inspirational speaker and content creator, said that winning the One Billion Award in the category of impactful creative content at the previous edition marked a turning point in his professional journey.

He noted that a year after receiving the award, his sense of responsibility to deliver meaningful, purpose-driven content had grown significantly.

Highlighting the global dimension of the summit, members of the US-based Retirement House team described their participation as an inspiring experience that reflects the growing role of content creators in spreading positivity.

A member of the Los Angeles–based team told WAM that since its launch five years ago, the group has attracted more than 10 million followers and recorded five billion views worldwide.

On the organisational front, Ahmed Al Tunaiji, host of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, said the current edition has witnessed a qualitative leap compared to last year, in terms of organisation, scale of participation, and diversity of nationalities.

He pointed to the notable expansion in the number of stages and specialised tracks, reinforcing the summit’s status as a genuine educational platform that allows professionals to engage directly with successful industry figures, reflecting the growing international interest in the event.