UAE to begin green revolution in schools with the launch of a Greening Education Hub under the theme Legacy from the Land of Zayed

At the forthcoming UN Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai, the UAE is going to kickstart a green revolution in schools with the opening of a "Greening Education Hub" with the theme "Legacy from the Land of Zayed." Concurrently, a nationwide cross-curriculum framework will be introduced by the Ministry of Education (MoE) to establish guidelines for sustainable schools. These standards will support gardening, the integration of green curriculum, teacher preparation, and parent education to guarantee that students nationwide are taught about sustainability and climate action.

The UAE Green Education Partnership Roadmap's objectives were revealed by Minister of Education Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi on Thursday as part of the ministry's preparations for hosting COP28. This initiative is known as the Greening Education Hub. The goal of the Hub beside the Mobility Gate at Expo City Dubai, the site of COP28, is to draw attention to the necessity of integrating education into official talks during the conference, which takes place from November 30 to December 12, and to the role that education plays in tackling climate challenges.

The announcement was made during a press conference at the SEE Institute, the first Net Zero Carbon building in the region, which is situated in Dubai Sustainable City. COP28 representatives were also present, along with Dr. Amna Al Dahak Al Shamsi, the Ministry of Education's assistant undersecretary for the care and capacity building sector.

Dr. Al Falasi mentioned in his keynote address that the United Arab Emirates is situated in a desert region with extreme heat and dry weather. Despite these obstacles, the nation is unwavering in its resolve to use creative thinking to prioritise resource conservation. He underlined that sustainability embodies the UAE's principles of protecting the environment and social customs and is strategically important.

According to the minister, the Greening Education Hub is a significant step towards putting education at the forefront of climate action and was created after months of cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The Greening Education Hub will host over 250 talks and workshops over the course of 13 days at COP28, with 127 sessions taking place internationally and 151 sessions taking place domestically.

With the backing and participation of 36 national organisations and 99 NGOs, the Hub has drawn people from 38 different countries.

Seventy renowned speakers will contribute to the Hub's activities to enliven the conversations by sharing their knowledge and motivating participants with their perspectives. 46 sessions will also be arranged by the MoE. Additionally, the MoE has developed alliances with more than 40 foreign partners, which has led to the creation of more than 30 initiatives and activations centred around climate education.