UNESCO officials expressed their deep thanks and gratitude to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the great monarch of the country, may God protect and preserve him, for His Majesty’s generous patronage of this award since its establishment, appreciating the Kingdom of Bahrain’s hosting of activities celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the launch of the award, in an atmosphere of hospitality and distinguished organization.
Dr. Shafiqa Ishaq, Head of the Department of Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Education at UNESCO, confirmed that the award has become a prestigious international platform that enables them to document the impact of technology in improving the quality of education and equal educational opportunities, which enabled them to explore innovative models in digital education around the world during the past two decades, and to obtain a deeper understanding of the role of technology in supporting educational systems within the classroom. and communities.”
For her part, Ms. Xiangli Cheng, Project Officer at the Department of Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Education at UNESCO, explained that the award has witnessed a continuous growth in the level of participation and international interest since its establishment, saying: “Since I started working on the award in 2021, I have seen how it has become a global reference for excellence in the use of technology in education, with a noticeable increase in the number of participants.” From various governmental, private, and academic sectors.” She pointed out that this interaction reflects the credibility of the award and the importance of its message in an era witnessing rapid and accelerating digital transformations.
Dr. Shafiqa Ishaq confirmed that the 2025 edition of the award witnessed a record number of nominations, especially with its focus this year on the topic of “ethics in the use of artificial intelligence in education,” which is a recent field but receiving increasing global attention. She expressed the organization’s aspiration to continue the award in the coming years to strengthen this community, work to activate the network of award recipients over the past twenty years, and employ Their experiences as an integrated community capable of contributing to the development of education globally.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the UNESCO delegation appreciated the fruitful and ongoing partnership with the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the Kingdom’s keenness to support technology in education, as Ms. Chiangli said: “We extend our thanks and appreciation to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Great King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and to the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain, for their pioneering vision in establishing this award, and their generosity in hosting the celebration of its twentieth anniversary,” and she concluded. He said: “This award represents a pioneering model of cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and UNESCO and its global impact. We hope that this partnership will continue so that the award remains a beacon in the use of technology to serve education.”
Dr. Shafiqa also appreciated the long-term partnership with the Kingdom of Bahrain, which has hosted the award since its inception, saying: “We at UNESCO are very proud of this strategic partnership with the government of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and His Excellency the Minister of Education. This award places Bahrain in a global leadership position in terms of supporting technology in education, and confirms the country’s interest in the digital future of education.”
