Dubai: As Dubai Cares, a UAE-based global philanthropic organisation supporting education, prepares for its participation as Education Partner for COP28, it has reviewed its milestones reached in 2022, on the occasion of International Day of Education (January 24).
The civil society organisation, associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications, made significant strides last year in the education sector.
Dubai Cares’ Framework for Global Education Transformation, was launched during the World Government Summit 2022 as part of Expo 2020 Dubai. The Framework served as a guiding tool for countries during the Transforming Education Summit (TES) National Consultations that took place as part of the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and was extensively referenced across National Consultation Reports outlining individual nation’s plans path for transforming education.
It also informed global discussions and proposed solutions for education transformation through featuring in the Discussion Paper for TES Action Track 2 on ‘Learning and skills for life, work, and sustainable development’.
‘Win-win’ solutions
In addition, Dubai Cares, in collaboration with Education Commission, unveiled the Rewiring Education for People and Planet report at TES, held as part of the at 77th UN General Assembly. The Report captures key recommendations for rewiring education extracted from discussions and insights shared during the RewirEd Summit at Expo 2020 Dubai, and offers six concrete ‘win-win’ solutions that promote a cross-sectoral ecosystem approach to align thinking and action for transformational education outcomes and to further achieve progress across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Climate syllabus
Furthermore, Dubai Cares, through its participation at COP27 that was held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, also stressed upon the importance of the education sector’s role in combating climate change and advocating for the inclusion of education as a necessary and permanent pillar in all future COP agendas to deliver on the promise of a sustainable and human future for all. Through its high-level interventions, the organisation highlighted the significance of integrating education and climate in national agendas to achieve global education transformation.
Early learning
In addition, Dubai Cares demonstrated its enduring commitment to promoting and prioritising Early Childhood Development (ECD) at the World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education as a key partner in the formulation of the global ECD agenda. The event, which took place at Tashkent, Uzbekistan in November, saw the organisation participate in a series of high-level sessions and meetings. The event culminated in the launch of the Tashkent Declaration on Early Childhood Care and Education, with the Dubai Declaration on Early Childhood Development, launched by Dubai Cares in partnership with UNICEF and MoFAIC, serving as one of its critical building blocks.
‘Connecting link’
Moreover, Dubai Cares pavilion concluded its participation at Expo 2020 Dubai, attracting 246,720 visitors of all ages and diverse nationalities over the six-month period.
Commenting on Dubai Cares’ achievements in 2022, Dr Tariq Al Gurg, CEO and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares, said: “Education has always been the cornerstone of human progress and prosperity. The importance of education in solving the many complex and interconnected crises facing humanity today has never been more prominent.”
He added: “This has been Dubai Cares’ central message to the world through all our engagements in 2022. We must realise – now more than ever – that education is the connecting link across the SDGs and must be seen as the common thread that runs through all our development agendas for people and planet. As we move forward, Dubai Cares will continue to advocate for the role of a transformed education ecosystem as a game-changer for the sustainable development of our communities and economies.”
Digital education
Moreover, the RewirEd Global Declaration on Connectivity for Education, which was unveiled by Dubai Cares and UNESCO during the RewirEd Summit at Expo 2020 Dubai, has contributed significantly to shaping plans and solutions for digital transformation by serving as a guide for Transforming Education Summit, Action Track 4 on ‘Digital Learning and Transformation’. Since its launch, work has been underway to position the Declaration as centre stone for collaboration and Dubai Cares is now part of discussions with UNESCO and other stakeholders for its activation, scheduled to kick off in 2023.
Another “critical document” that was shared with the Transforming Education Summit Secretariat and its Action Track Leads is the Dubai Cares Evidence Dossier, which synthesised over 65 research and evaluation projects supported by Dubai Cares over the past 15 years, to inform global discussions, planning, and decision-making for each of the five Action Tracks of the Transforming Education Summit.
Furthermore, Dubai Cares’ funding to has enabled partners to pilot and showcase innovative solutions for rewiring education ecosystems through human-centered approaches for people and planet. The success stories, learnings, and innovations extracted from Dubai Cares’ portfolio, and disseminated through regional and global engagements, have enabled the organisation to continue advancing the global education agenda through contributing evidence-based tools and solutions for improved learning outcomes and education systems.
‘Dine. Feed. Educate’
On World Food Day, which is marked on October 16 every year, Dubai Cares, along with the award-winning author Flavel Monteiro, in 2022 launched the ‘Dine. Feed. Educate’ initiative to raise funds in support of the education of underprivileged children globally. The initiative offered the UAE community the opportunity to enjoy seven unique dishes prepared by seven renowned chefs from seven restaurants across the country, with proceeds going towards Dubai Cares’ school feeding programs.
In addition, over the course of the year, Dubai Cares witnessed an overall increase in fundraising and support received from the community, including both home-grown businesses to larger organisations spanning a range of industries such as retail, education, fashion, sports, finance, and e-commerce.
Emergency support
To show solidarity with the flood-affected families in Pakistan, Dubai Cares, Emirates Red Crescent and Sharjah Charity International launched the ‘We Stand Together’ volunteering initiative in September 2022, in close coordination with the Ministry of Community Development (MoCD) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) in the UAE, and with the support of nine other UAE humanitarian organisations. Hosted in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah simultaneously, the initiative saw hundreds of volunteers from across the seven emirates pack 1,200 tonnes of food, health and general hygiene items, including 30,000 food kits, to provide emergency support to the affected people.
Renovating schools
In addition, Dubai Cares also hosted three editions of Volunteer Emirates, a local volunteering initiative by the organisation that rallies the UAE community throughout the year to donate their time in support of the educational cause. The community engagement program saw hundreds of volunteers enhance the learning environment at three schools including: Al Tafawq School in Sharjah, National Charity School for Boys in Dubai and National Charity Private School – Girls in Nasiriyah, Sharjah. Further, Dubai Cares also extended its support to Senses Residential and Day Care for Special Needs by providing essential anti-bacterial furniture to improve the wellbeing and safety of students.
Awards
Additionally, Dubai Cares received Room to Read’s ‘Global Champion Award’ in recognition of its commitment to Room to Read and in honour of its dedication to championing literacy and gender equality in education. Dubai Cares was also presented with the ‘Humanitarian Award’ by Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards 2022, in recognition of the organisation’s efforts in the humanitarian field to support children and youth’s access to quality education.
