Paris:Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan Al Maktoum, along with Professor Chun Chen, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, honored the winners of the ninth edition of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher Development during a ceremony held at UNESCO Headquarters as part of the World Teachers' Day celebrations.
According to Emirates News Agency, the ceremony was attended by senior officials and representatives from Permanent Delegations to UNESCO, as well as various organizations and projects. Prior to the ceremony, Sheikh Rashid met with Professor Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO, to discuss enhancing the partnership between the Hamdan Foundation and UNESCO, focusing on educational initiatives and programs.
Professor El-Enany opened the World Teachers' Day 2026 program, highlighting the contributions of the Hamdan Foundation to global education through the prize. He congratulated the 10 finalists, including the three laureates, for their achievements. The prize saw a record participation with 169 applications from 64 countries, leading to 10 projects being selected as finalists.
Sheikh Rashid bin Hamdan expressed gratitude to the attendees and emphasized the strong partnership with UNESCO. He noted the shared commitment to educational excellence and the universal mission of empowering through knowledge. He reaffirmed the Foundation's dedication to the vision of the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and its ongoing support for educational programs.
The ceremony also featured the signing of an agreement for a joint research project between the Hamdan Foundation and UNESCO, aimed at examining innovative approaches to teacher development. The research will utilize experiences from past prize-winning projects to inform future initiatives.
Humaid Mohammed Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hamdan Foundation, highlighted the strategic partnership with UNESCO, emphasizing the transfer of knowledge from successful projects to support global teacher development.
The laureates from Türkiye, Ethiopia, and Indonesia were recognized for their innovative contributions. ÖRAV from Türkiye was awarded for its 'Teacher-Led Professional Learning Ecosystem,' Gondar College in Ethiopia for 'Maker-Teachers,' and Guru Belajar Foundation from Indonesia for the 'Collective Teacher Leadership Development Programme.' Each laureate received $100,000 from the $300,000 total prize fund.
Additional features of the event included presentations of the finalist projects, jury recognition, and an exhibition showcasing the initiatives. The event also marked the 60th anniversary of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers, under the theme of standing with teachers and advancing their status. The UNESCO-Hamdan Prize continues to support impactful educational projects worldwide through its partnership with UNESCO.