Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, has said that the UAE is witnessing an exceptional phase of enlightenment and development, thanks to its wise leadership and the wisdom of its decision makers.

He highlighted that the cornerstone of this institutional establishment was the ongoing investment in knowledge and education, which would help establish a knowledge-based economy.

The observations were made as part of the UAE’s speech at the 39th session of the UNESCO General Conference held in Paris, which was delivered by Dr. Mohammad Ibrahim Al Mualla, Under-Secretary for Higher Education Academic Affairs at the Ministry of Education, on behalf of Al Hammadi.

He conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and Their Highnesses the Supreme Council Members and Rulers of the Emirates, and the Emirati people.

He spoke about a uniform educational system for the UAE and applying the Emirati School Model to strengthen the performance of the educational system and achieve optimum utilisation of the available resources, efforts and capacities to develop the educational system.

The minister underlined that the UAE is working in line with UNESCO policies, concerning its programmes, initiatives, missions and aspirations, and it considers the international organisation as a reference for values and knowledge to support minds, plans and constructive changes.

He also referred to the efforts made by the UAE to support the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. He highlighted that UNESCO had chosen Sharjah as the World Book Capital 2019.

Al Hammadi also praised the efforts of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, for his directives to restore and renew the UNESCO conference hall at its headquarters in Paris, and considered this step an extension of the UAE’s international humanitarian and educational roles.