As the global focus on equity in education grows, the UAE is strengthening its commitment to inclusive learning. The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity has announced an $11 million grant to the Special Olympics Global Centre for Inclusion in Education, which is based in Abu Dhabi.

The funding will support a major expansion of the Unified Champion Schools (UCS) initiative, a global programme that promotes social inclusion by bringing together students with and without intellectual disabilities through sports and leadership activities. The initiative will now reach 10 additional countries within Special Olympics’ 152-nation network.

The grant will also fund a professional development platform to train over 6,000 educators worldwide and expand the Corps of Inclusive Educators, a global network of mentors dedicated to embedding inclusive practices in schools.

“Under the guidance of our leadership, the UAE is committed to fostering societies where youth of all abilities are empowered and celebrated,” said Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the US.

“This partnership reflects the UAE’s belief that inclusive education has the power to transform lives,” said Dr. Shamma Khalifa Al Mazrouei, Acting Director-General of the Foundation. “This landmark commitment is a bold affirmation of a simple but revolutionary idea: inclusion is not charity, it is transformation,” added Dr. Timothy Shriver, Chairman of the Special Olympics International Board.

Since its inception, the UCS initiative has reached over 1.1 million young people across more than 2,800 schools and trained nearly 20,000 educators. Evaluations show clear improvements in empathy, academic performance, and students’ sense of belonging.