Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, brought a series of thought-provoking and innovative activations to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2019 Meeting of the Global Future Councils held between 3rd and 4th November at Madinat Jumeirah. Dubai Cares’ participation aims to raise awareness around the vulnerability of children whose education was interrupted as a result of conflict and protracted crises.

At this year’s Annual Meeting, Dubai Cares curated a thought-provoking activation space under the theme "Innovation in Education in Emergencies", which featured an immersive virtual reality (VR) experience showing a 360-degree film captured in a makeshift school within a refugee camp. The film follows a young refugee student as she goes about her day, narrated by her mother who tells the story about the family’s hardship in accessing education. The emotive film communicated to event visitors the vulnerability of children whose education has been compromised or denied altogether, and demonstrated the impactful work Dubai Cares does in communities affected by conflict and protracted crises.

Complementing the interactive map, visitors were invited to complete a ‘would you rather’ quiz, highlighting the impossible choices people affected by emergencies have to make on a daily basis. Visitors were also invited to engage with an interactive touchscreen map that provided further insight into the educational programmes Dubai Cares implemented in approximately 60 developing countries.

Speaking about Dubai Cares’ participation, Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Cares said, "While participants in this annual gathering explore forward-looking thought leadership and innovative thinking to address global, regional and geopolitical issues in light of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, we are inviting them to consider the plight of children and youth who have suffered and are still suffering from wars, catastrophes and crises. We also hope to raise awareness on the importance of education in helping children and youth in need to rebuild their lives and their communities both during and after an emergency. There is an obvious need for educational programmes that address this issue, with millions of refugee children and youth unable to attend school."