A panel discussion at the closing plenary session of Wise 2014 yesterday. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed
By Joseph Varghese/Staff Reporter
The seventh edition of World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) will be held from November 3 to 5, 2015 in Doha. The announcement was made at the concluding session of WISE 2014 yesterday.
WISE 2014 concluded at the Qatar National convention Centre with a pledge to provide more room for creativity among the students inside and outside the classrooms. HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation and founder of WISE also, was present on the occasion.
WISE 2014 enabled education stakeholders from multiple sectors to be inspired by prominent thought leaders, connect and exchange ideas and innovations, paving the way for concrete actions in education on the global scale. More than 1,600 prominent education, corporate, political and social leaders from over 100 countries attended the summit.
WISE 2014 also saw the launch of the application period for the 2015 WISE Awards, which identify and promote education excellence by recognising projects that are addressing key education challenges, and are having strong positive impact on individuals and in communities globally. The applications process will be open until January 15, 2015.
Saad al-Muhannadi, president of Qatar Foundation, said the summit yet again reinforced the objectives of Qatar Foundation ensuring the importance of education for all.
“Education is where our work at Qatar Foundation began and today is still the starting point of all our initiatives. It is fundamental to Qatar’s development as a modern knowledge-based economy and is one of the most important investments a country can make in its people and its future. Qatar Foundation’s mandate is to be Qatar’s leading platform for exchanging knowledge and opinions and developing its key pillar of education that benefits our country, the surrounding region, and the wider world. Our initiatives such as WISE serve as a global reference in education that addresses many of the educational challenges faced around the world.”
Dr Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani, chairman of Wise, said: “For over six years, WISE has facilitated collaboration in increasing access, quality and relevance at all levels of education around the world. This year’s summit highlighted the role of creativity in finding and implementing solutions. I am confident that the framework created by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, combined with the natural capacity for innovation of the many thousands of members of the WISE community, will continue to have a major impact upon individuals and societies.”
Dr Sheikh Abdulla noted: “Wise is making a difference in many lives.Wise has achieved a significant amount of constructive collaboration.The impact of many of the programmes of Wise, is making a difference on many people around the world. We have put in place the framework and the foundation for the kind of education that we believe in.”
In her address, Ann Cotton, the 2014 Wise Prize for Education Laureate and founder of Camfed, the Campaign for Female Education, said “Education is the right of every child. It is fundamental to their development and their welfare. We have been gathered at the Wise summit because every one of us knows and believes this.”
She continued “We have been here to learn and to imagine what is possible, and to unite to create a world that gives every child an extended, quality education. The Wise Prize, which I am honoured to have received, will help Camfed to transform the future of millions of girls in a way that today they cannot begin to imagine.”