Mohammed bin Rashid presents Palestinian teacher Hanan Al Hroub with US$1 million Global Teacher Prize

DUBAI, 14th March 2016 (WAM) --- Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum yesterday presented Palestinian teacher Hanan Al Hroub with the 2016 US$1 million Global Teacher Prize in a ceremony during the Global Education and Skills forum in Dubai, in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, ministers and officials. Hanan Al Hroub was announced as winner by Pope Francis in televised speech at the Dubai-based Varkey Foundation's ceremony at Atlantis The Palm Dubai Hotel & Resort. She thanked Sheikh Mohammed for sponsoring the award and personally presenting her with the prize. She dedicated the prize to her country, Palestine, and all teachers in the world. Pope Francis thanked Sheikh Mohammed for his humanitarian stances and unlimited support for education in the UAE and beyond as well as helping children in poor countries. "A child has the right to play. Part of education is to teach children how to play because you learn how to be social through games as well as learn the joy of life," Pope Francis said. "A population that is not well educated because of the wars, or by other reasons that exist in order not to get any education, is a population that decays. That is why I would like to highlight the noble profession of a teacher," Pope Francis added. Now in its second year, the US$1 million award for teaching is the largest prize of its kind. The Global Teacher Prize was set up to recognise one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution while shining a spotlight on the important role teachers play in society. Later, Sheikh Mohammed shook hands with the ten finalists and praised Varkey Foundation and its founder, Sunny Varkey, a Dubai-based education entrepreneur, education philanthropist founder and chairman of the global advisory and educational management firm GEMS Education, for their efforts to promote excellence in education around the world. Also present at the ceremony were Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and The Future; Obaid bin Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs; Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment; Jameela bint Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education, Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director-General of Dubai's Protocol and Hospitality Department; Sunny Varkey, Founder and President of the Varkey Foundation, and a large number of education officials from the UAE, other countries and international organisations. – Emirates News Agency, WAM -http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395292839866.html