- Dubai Cares expands its impact in 2023 to reach more than 24 million beneficiaries across 60 countries
Dubai Cares, a civil society organization formally associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (UN DGC), has garnered global praise for its efforts in 2023, with education leaders from around the world commending the organization for taking on a leading role in driving education transformation on a global scale, which is set to benefit billions of learners.
Dubai Cares marked a significant milestone in 2023 leveraging its 16 years of experience and long-standing partnerships with global actors in the education sector, to forge new pathways for education. Throughout the year, Dubai Cares strategically directed its engagements and initiatives towards advancing global education transformation, to unlock every child and young person’s potential for a sustainable and prosperous future.
Reflecting on its achievements in 2023, Dubai Cares’ saw its impact expand and touch the lives of millions by providing access to quality education and empowering children and youth with knowledge and skills needed to fulfill their highest potential. This is in line with the vision of Dubai Cares’ Founder His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and his belief in the right of all children to have access to quality education and the empowerment of youth through the development of skills, and in alignment with the UAE’s foreign aid policy to reduce poverty and help those in need.
Commenting on these achievements, His Excellency Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares, said: "As we look back on our accomplishment in 2023, we take pride in our strategic commitment to transforming global education. Our initiatives were geared towards driving global education transformation, empowering countries to concretely advance key human development indicators. The massive support from global education stakeholders alongside collaboration with various sectors, is a powerful catalyst for our ambitions, as we continue to seek innovative solutions, impactful partnerships and accelerated results for children and youth.”
Dubai Cares' RewirEd Summit places education at the center of the COP28 Climate Agenda
Dubai Cares made history at the 2nd edition of the RewirEd Summit, by bringing education to the forefront of the climate agenda at COP28. Featuring more than 1,000 participants, including 2 heads of state, 22 ministers, and 28 CEOs, with 260 speakers, representing 209 entities and 76 countries, the RewirEd Summit brought the education and climate sectors together under one roof for the first time in the history of all COPs as the flagship education summit of COP28, to position education transformation as a key enabler of sustainable development.
Moreover, Dubai Cares announced the spin-off of the RewirEd Summit as an independent standalone global platform led by a global board, announcing its co-chairs as Ms. Laura Frigenti, Chief Executive Officer, Global Partnership for Education (GPE); Ms. Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director of Education Cannot Wait (ECW); and His Excellency Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares.
Commenting on the significant alignment between the RewirEd Summit’s themes and the Secretary General's Transforming Education Agenda, Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, said: “It is heartening to see that the themes of the second RewirEd Summit align seamlessly with the principle of the Secretary General's Transforming Education Agenda, emphasizing lifelong learning, green jobs, increasing financing, resilience of education systems, and a human-focused approach.”
Reflecting on Dubai Cares' significant contributions to global education, Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown, the United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, said: “Dubai Cares has played a critical role in furthering the cause of education through the RewirEd Summit and it is to Dubai Cares’ credit that they are leading worldwide in their concern about the connection between climate change that we are facing and the denial of educational opportunity. I applaud the noble endeavors of Dubai Cares at this great summit through the reconvening of the RewirEd Summit in Dubai to make children's opportunities the center of our attention and to make sure that climate change does not lead to the denial of the rights of children.”
Unveiling the Dubai Cares Global Education Solutions Accelerator (GESA) at COP28
Dubai Cares also unveiled the "Global Education Solutions Accelerator" (GESA) in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation and with the strategic support of the Global Center on Adaptation. In its first phase, GESA will transform education systems for over 2.1 billion people in 10 countries including Afghanistan, Brazil, India, Kenya, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Portugal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Commenting on the significance of Dubai Cares’ Global Education Solutions Accelerator, Michael Kocher, General Manager, Aga Khan Foundation, said: “We are inspired by GESA’s vision to recognize and catalyze the collective energy and wisdom from the world’s learners, teachers, communities, youth, governments, and civil society organizations to address the most pressing educational challenges of our time through a more inclusive and accelerated approach. Through GESA, and our continued partnership with Dubai Cares, we are ready to co-create new pathways for educational transformation across schools, systems, and societies to deliver meaningful results for people and the planet by 2030 and beyond.”
Expanding impact through diverse new programs and initiatives
In 2023, Dubai Cares expanded its programmatic portfolio with additional programs, bringing the total number of education programs to 243, allowing the organization to expand its reach to more than 24 million beneficiaries across 60 countries to date.
Moreover, Dubai Cares hosted six editions of Volunteer Emirates initiative, engaging more than 4,900 volunteers, representing different age groups and nationalities throughout the year 2023.