Winners of 4th Hamdan-ICESCO Prize for Voluntary Development of Educational Facilities Announced

Dubai, The Gulf Observer: The Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) and the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences have announced the winners of the 4th Hamdan-ICESCO Prize for Voluntary Development of Educational Facilities in the Islamic World.

The prestigious prize recognises outstanding voluntary initiatives that enhance educational environments across the Islamic world. It aims to encourage sustainable development efforts, support educational infrastructure, and improve the quality of education while ensuring equal access to learning opportunities.

First launched in December 2023, this fourth edition of the prize attracted applications from organisations and individuals in multiple Islamic countries. This year, nine educational initiatives from seven countries participated, reflecting the growing importance of voluntary contributions in the education sector.

Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of ICESCO, praised the prize’s role in fostering voluntary action in education, stating, “Ensuring sustainable and inclusive education requires continuous support for voluntary efforts and philanthropic initiatives. This prize serves as a model for inspiring further initiatives that bring about positive change in beneficiary communities.”

Humaid Mohammed Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, highlighted the foundation’s commitment to fostering an advanced educational environment. “Investment in education is key to the future of societies. This prize recognises voluntary efforts that significantly improve the educational landscape, creating modern and sustainable learning environments,” he remarked.

Winning Initiatives Recognised for Their Impact

The Prize Jury selected three institutions for their exemplary contributions to the development of educational facilities:

• Hadramawt Foundation – Human Development (Yemen): Recognised for its Pilot High Schools project, which establishes and modernises pilot high schools in Hadramawt Governorate, enhancing education quality in the region.
• Heydar Aliyev Foundation (Azerbaijan): Honoured for its Educational and Social Support Project, which focuses on building and rehabilitating schools in multiple countries, both within and beyond the Islamic world.
• Moroccan Foundation for Primary Education (Morocco): Awarded for its initiative to equip primary education departments in rural, semi-rural, and urban areas, ensuring integrated learning environments for children in remote regions.

This edition of the prize reaffirms its commitment to supporting voluntary efforts that address infrastructure challenges in education. The growing participation further establishes the Hamdan-ICESCO Prize as a leading initiative in promoting sustainable educational development in the Islamic world.

The winners will be honoured at a forthcoming award ceremony, where they will receive a prize shield and financial support to further develop their projects and benefit their target communities.