Bahrain Hosts UNESCO King Hamad ICT in Education Prize for the First Time

On behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today attended the award ceremony of the 2025 UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Prize for the Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Education.

For the first time in the award’s history, the ceremony was held outside UNESCO Headquarters in Paris — taking place instead at the University of Bahrain, marking a milestone moment that coincides with the 20th anniversary of the prize’s establishment.

Organised by UNESCO and Bahrain’s Ministry of Education, the event celebrated two decades of innovation and global collaboration in promoting digital learning and educational access.

During the ceremony, HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister highlighted His Majesty King Hamad’s visionary leadership, which has strengthened Bahrain’s global reputation for educational excellence and reaffirmed the Kingdom’s role as a champion of accessible, technology-driven learning.

His Royal Highness noted that the award reflects HM the King’s enduring belief in the power of technology to shape a more sustainable, inclusive, and knowledge-based future. He emphasised that over the past two decades, the Prize has inspired innovation, elevated best practices, and supported efforts to build equitable knowledge societies aligned with the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad underscored Bahrain’s century-long educational legacy, reaffirming that the Kingdom’s investment in its people has made it a regional leader in education and digital innovation. He also praised Bahrain’s close partnership with UNESCO as a symbol of shared dedication to advancing ICT-enabled education worldwide.

His Royal Highness then presented the 2025 UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Prize to four outstanding projects that harness technology to transform learning:

• AI4InclusiveEducation, La Scientothèque (Belgium)

• Piauí Inteligência Artificial, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul and the Education Department of the State of Piauí (Brazil)

• Mahara-Tech, Information Technology Institute (Egypt)

• Experience AI, Raspberry Pi Foundation (UK)

HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister congratulated the winners and wished them continued success in their missions to make education more inclusive and impactful.

In his remarks, HE Dr Mohammed bin Mubarak Juma, Minister of Education, expressed deep gratitude to HM the King for his continued patronage and to HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for his presence and support. He noted that hosting the ceremony in Bahrain for the first time reflects the Kingdom’s strategic partnership with UNESCO and its commitment to global educational advancement.

Professor Kaśka Porayska-Pomsta, Chairperson of the Prize’s international jury and Professor of Artificial Intelligence in Education at University College London, spoke about this year’s theme, emphasising the transformative potential of AI in fostering creativity, critical thinking, and independent learning. She stressed that the ethical application of AI in education is a human responsibility that upholds values while empowering learners.

HE Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, conveyed appreciation to HM King Hamad for his unwavering support of global education and his efforts to strengthen cooperation with UNESCO. She commended Bahrain’s role as a regional hub for innovation, knowledge, and digital transformation, and highlighted the Prize’s vital contribution to UNESCO’s mission of ensuring educational access through technology.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials, educators, and representatives from international organisations, reflecting Bahrain’s growing influence as a beacon of educational innovation and collaboration on the world stage.