H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, today received, at his palace in Za'abeel, Luke Ria, Chairman of the Arbitration Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, as well as the committee’s members, to discuss the 5th Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Distinguished Academic Performance.

Sheikh Hamdan welcomed the delegation, headed by Edem Adubra, Representative of UNESCO’s Director-General. During the meeting, which was held in Dubai on 15th and 16th January, the nomination requests for the award were presented, and the winner is to be honoured in April during a major ceremony, to be held at UNESCO’s headquarters in the French capital, Paris.

Ria explained the standards for evaluating and accepting the award’s nominations, which currently number 150 participants from 90 countries. Three projects were subsequently chosen, which met the required conditions and standards.

Sheikh Hamdan praised UNESCO’s tireless efforts to establish the foundations of modern education and spread them to regions where children are deprived of the right to education, while highlighting the role of the organisation in preserving heritage and historical monuments as international humanitarian heritage that must be preserved, to achieve a universal system of humanitarian values and ensure respect, co-existence and improved welfare for all people.

Sheikh Hamdan pointed out that the UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and his brother, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, along with the tireless monitoring of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, aims to strengthen its exceptional relations with UNESCO, which is reflected in their effective partnerships in supporting United Nations, UN, programmes related to improving and developing educational infrastructure around the world, especially in third world countries, and promoting humanitarian and cultural values to help overcome the challenges that threaten international development, stability and peace.

Sheikh Hamdan also praised UNESCOS’s support for the award, most notably from Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, and its role in promoting the award’s efforts to improve the performance of teachers in developing communities.

The meeting was also attended by the award’s chairman and board of trustees, and several educational leaders in the country.