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| 5 Feb 2026 | |
| Community News |
SPARK.Dubai 2026 brought the global education community together in Dubai on 2 February 2026 for a one-day event focused on one powerful idea: how connecting schools can unlock extraordinary change.
A Varkey Foundation initiative hosted across four leading Dubai schools, the event convened teachers, students, policymakers, business leaders, and education innovators from over 50 countries. Together, they explored how schools - already the world’s largest social network, connecting 75 million teachers and 1.3 billion children - can become a force for shared learning, inclusion, and global problem-solving.
Against the backdrop of the final stretch toward Sustainable Development Goal 4, SPARK.Dubai 2026 showcased proven models that are successfully linking schools through peer networks, partnerships, and shared knowledge - particularly to support learners in underserved communities.
The speaker lineup featured an extraordinary mix of global icons and changemakers - including legendary musician and cultural innovator Nile Rodgers; UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini; world-renowned dancer and artistic director Carlos Acosta; education leader Dame Christine Ryan; Global Teacher Prize winner Peter Tabichi; and Global Student Prize winner, youth leader and refugee education advocate Nhial Deng.
Sunny Varkey, Founder of the Varkey Foundation and GEMS Education, announced the launch of the 1 Million Schools Campaign—a bold global initiative calling on one million schools to take action on the world’s most pressing challenges. The announcement set the tone for an event grounded in collaboration, purpose, and collective impact.
Participants experienced inspiring keynote conversations, hands-on workshops focused on creativity, wellbeing, and inclusion, and opportunities to learn directly from some of the world’s most innovative schools. The programme also featured a leadership and social action challenge for young changemakers, alongside unique networking opportunities with Global Teacher Prize winners and finalists.
United by the belief that schools hold the key to addressing some of the world’s most urgent challenges, SPARK.Dubai 2026 demonstrated how connection can turn ideas into action.
