Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, praised the unlimited support by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, for the education process and educators locally and regionally, particularly in the African countries which are highly in need for education. Also, she referred that the education in the UAE is on the top priorities of the sustainable development agenda.
This came during the ceremony held at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris, on the occasion of honoring the winners of the 2014 UNESCO-Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Prize for Outstanding Practice and Performance in Enhancing the Effectiveness of Teachers.
Addressing the award-giving ceremony, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid commended the UNESCO's role as an incubator for education and culture worldwide, pointing out to the joint efforts being made by the prize and UNESCO to encourage and motivate teachers in the developing communities and to recognize their dedication and efforts to elevate human communities by spreading education and knowledge, eliminating poverty and removing obstacles facing others to change their lives to the better.
Also, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan congratulated the winners of the prize in its third session including “Oxfam Novib International” project of Angola and Mali, “Broad Foundation” project of Panama, and the project “SOS Village d’Enfants” of Madagascar.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan extended his thanks to the UNESCO and to the Director General, Irina Bokova, on the continuing efforts to develop the education techniques and programs in the developing countries. Then, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan toured the exhibition held on the sidelines of the ceremony.
It is worthy to mention that H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has travelled to Paris at the head of a large delegation included H.E. Hussein bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, UAE Minister of Education and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Academic Performance, H.E. Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, UAE Minister of Health and chairman of the board of trustees of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, H.E. Abdullah Mosbeh Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the permanent UAE delegation in UNESCO in addition to a number of the educational leaders in the United Arab Emirates and the Member States of the UNESCO.
