In addition to its participation in UNESCO celebrations through a dialogue session titled “The Role of Teacher Awards in Enhancing the Teaching Profession: World Teachers’ Day Celebration organised at Dubai Police Officers’ Club on Thursday, October 5
Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences celebrated World Teachers’ Day at Dubai Police Officers’ Club on Thursday, October 5. The celebration witnessed the presence of prominent academic officials, teachers, media representatives, award-winning students of the Foundation, and education enthusiasts.
In his speech on World Teachers’ Day, His Excellency Dr. Hamid Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, welcomed the attendees and expressed his gratitude for their participation in this celebration. He noted that UNESCO has been recognising teachers around the world on the October 5 each year since 1966 under the title “World Teachers’ Day,” in collaboration with the International Labor Organisation, the International Federation of Teachers’ Unions, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
His Excellency added that this year’s celebration, held under the theme “Addressing the Global Teacher Shortage”, aims to draw attention to the teaching profession and the importance of supporting teachers. His Excellency emphasised that education in the UAE is highly regarded and supported by the visionary leadership. The country has worked to enhance the teachers’ status, sustain their professional development, and foster a culture of appreciation for teachers and their significant contribution to society.
He continued, “The late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, may his soul rest in peace, was keen to grant teachers significant recognition, understanding the importance of their educational and teaching role. This was evident in his initiative, Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Outstanding Educational Performance, which was dedicated to teachers and included programmes for excellence and generous incentives that extended beyond the borders of the country to the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. It culminated in a prestigious international award in partnership with UNESCO, known as the ‘Hamdan/UNESCO Prize for Teacher Development.’ Thanks to this award, inspiring practices of many teachers in remote communities were discovered, deserving recognition and dissemination.”
The Foundation participated in the regional seminar organised by the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States with a valuable contribution from its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi.
His Excellency Al Qatami added, “The celebration of World Teachers’ Day is an opportunity for all of us to express recognition for the efforts and sacrifices of every teacher in providing quality education and contributing to a sustainable knowledge future. It is also an opportunity to show our gratitude, either through sincere words or dedicated actions, motivating us to work optimistically to achieve more integration, collaboration, and cohesion between the educational process’s cornerstone, the teacher, and the focal point of the educational process, the student. This support should come from all elements of the system and society to strengthen the bonds amid ongoing developments and challenges, allowing us to celebrate more achievements every year.”
He concluded his speech by extending his congratulations to all teachers, thanking them for their invaluable services to their communities and their support for their students.
On his part, His Excellency Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Secretary-General of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences affirmed in his speech during the celebration the crucial role that teachers play in building strong foundations for the education sector, which is of paramount importance in a country’s progress, the well-being of its people, and the achievement of sustainable development goals.
Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi stated, “Teachers are the cornerstone of the educational process in various countries. Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences was one of the pioneering institutions that showed great interest in teachers by launching numerous programmes and activities. We have also dedicated awards for teachers, where the idea behind these awards is not only to honour but also to highlight the capabilities of success and excellence in the field of education. Behind these awards are role models for anyone who aspires to follow in their footsteps. In collaboration with the United Arab Emirates University, we sponsor the Innovative Education Master’s Programme, a unique programme that is hardly replicated in any other country in the world. It has been meticulously designed to prepare teachers who align with the requirements of the current era and the future we anticipate.”
The celebration witnessed the presence of prominent academic officials, teachers, media representatives, award-winning students of the Foundation, and education enthusiasts
Concluding his speech, His Excellency Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi extended his heartfelt congratulations to teachers on this special occasion, saying, “On the occasion of World Teachers’ Day, we express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to teachers around the world for their efforts. We also reaffirm our commitment to continue supporting and empowering them to fulfill their timeless mission.”
The celebration featured numerous special activities and events, including the recognition of teachers. Additionally, invited students who had previously won awards from the Foundation extended invitations to their favorite teachers to attend the occasion, with the aim of honouring them during the ceremony. The distinguished student, Salama Al Suwaidi, delivered a speech on behalf of the students, emphasising the importance of the role teachers play in graduating qualified generations capable of leading the country’s institutions, managing them to achieve their goals, and contributing to development and progress. She expressed her gratitude and appreciation to teachers at all educational levels who work diligently and selflessly to ensure the excellence and success of their students.
During the event, Dr. Faisal Al Bakri, Head of the Ministry of Education’s Operations Team, tackled the international status of academic industry and the most significant challenges facing education worldwide.
It is worth noting that Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences, as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance education, encourage excellence, and promote innovation, launches awards at the local, regional, and international levels to highlight the achievements and capabilities of teachers, in addition to other initiatives and activities.
In the context of celebrating World Teachers’ Day, Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences participated in the UNESCO celebrations of World Teachers’ Day during a dialogue session titled “The Role of Teacher Awards in Enhancing the Teaching Profession.” The session highlighted ‘Hamdan-UNESCO Prize for Teacher Development’ and its role in rewarding outstanding practices and efforts to improve teachers’ performance. Its goal is to enhance the quality of education and contribute to achieving the fourth Sustainable Development Goal on quality education. A winner from the seventh cycle from Haiti participated in the session and expressed gratitude for the support and encouragement provided by the Hamdan-UNESCO Prize, which has contributed to the development and growth of the project.
“On the occasion of World Teachers’ Day, we express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to teachers around the world for their efforts.”
Dr. Al Suwaidi emphasised that Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences has consistently recognised the importance of developing the skills and abilities of teachers and providing them with the appropriate environment to achieve educational excellence. To that end, the Foundation launches numerous initiatives and activities aimed at supporting education within the country and beyond, contributing to elevating its standards to new heights of success and excellence.
In a related context, the Foundation participated in a seminar organised by the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States in celebration of World Teachers’ Day, in collaboration with several regional organisations. The seminar brought together fifty decision-makers, experts, and regional organisations interested in education. Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi delivered a presentation on the Foundation’s programmes and initiatives targeting teachers. These programmes included international awards such as the Hamdan-UNESCO Prize for Teacher Development, ‘Applied Research Global Award of Gifted Education’, and ‘School Global Award Initiative of Gifted Education’.
The programmes and initiatives designed for teachers include scholarships such as the Innovative Education Master’s programme and the Talent Diploma, as well as international membership in the International Teacher Task Force and the sponsorship of the Knowledge Platform project on teacher policies, practices, and research. They also involve preparing reports on the status of teachers worldwide, along with the Teacher Quality Programme within the EFQM Education Model and the Global Mentorship Programme. Dr. Al Suwaidi noted that these programmes and initiatives have been designed with the latest technologies to achieve their goals of promoting excellence and advancing the field of education.