Manama: The Bahrain National Commission for Education, Science, and Culture convened its regular meeting under the leadership of Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education. The session focused on several key initiatives and collaborations with UNESCO.
According to Bahrain News Agency, Dr. Juma provided insights into the UNESCO-King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa Prize for the Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Education slated for 2026. The prize will emphasize reimagining creativity and critical thinking with the aid of artificial intelligence. The announcement included details on the nomination deadline and noted that the award ceremony will align with UNESCO's Digital Learning Week.
Essam Abdulaziz Al Jassim, Bahrain's Ambassador to the French Republic, delivered a report from Bahrain's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO. The report highlighted the outcomes of the recent Gulf meeting with UNESCO's Director-General and its significance for the National Commission's agenda. Additionally, it mentioned Bahrain's observer participation in the 224th session of the Executive Board.
The committee also examined a presentation by Dr. Diana Abdulkarim Al Jahrami, Secretary General of the Higher Education Council. The presentation covered the L'Or©al-UNESCO Prize for Women in Science and the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education. Furthermore, the committee reviewed a report focused on promoting sustainability within Bahrain's higher education sector.
Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, briefed the committee on efforts to prepare nomination files for World Heritage and Intangible Cultural Heritage. The meeting concluded with the approval of an updated version of the committee members' responsibilities and information on the expansion of educational institutions in Bahrain associated with the UNESCO and ALECSO networks.