Dubai, UAE, March 6, 2025 – As part of the celebration of Gulf Day for Talent and Creativity, which falls on March 3rd each year, Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Medical and Educational Sciences participated in the Gulf Forum for Talent and Creativity, organized by The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) in partnership with the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States.
The forum was held virtually under the theme “Developing Talents in Early Childhood in the Arab Gulf States: Reality, Challenges, and Future Prospects”. It brought together nearly 500 participants, including policymakers, experts, researchers, educators, and parents, to discuss best practices in nurturing and supporting gifted children during early childhood, the challenges faced in these efforts, and the opportunities available to enhance them.
The first session, titled “The Role of Organizations Concerned with the Education of Gifted Children in Early Childhood”, featured the participation of Dr. Mariam Al Ghawi, Director of Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Giftedness and Innovation.
During her presentation, Dr. Al Ghawi highlighted the centre’s role in nurturing and developing talents, emphasizing the importance of creating a stimulating environment for creativity and innovation based on the latest global best practices in identifying and developing gifted individuals.
Dr. Al Ghawi explained that the centre operates under a comprehensive strategy aimed at enhancing innovation in the educational process through specialized initiatives and training programs that contribute to building a supportive ecosystem for gifted individuals. Dr. Al Ghawi also stressed the need to increase societal awareness of the importance of supporting this group from early childhood to ensure the optimal development of their abilities.
Dr. Mariam Al Ghawi highlighted key challenges in nurturing gifted children, including low societal awareness, limited assessment tools, and specialized programs. She emphasized the need for teacher training and stronger collaboration between educational institutions and parents.
Reaffirming Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre’s commitment to creativity and innovation, she noted efforts to launch new initiatives that provide a stimulating environment for young talents. She also stressed the importance of strengthening partnerships, developing supportive policies, and leveraging global best practices to enhance assessment methods and build a more inclusive, sustainable education system.
Concluding her participation, Dr. Mariam Al Ghawi stated: “Developing gifted children from early childhood is not merely an option but a strategic necessity for building a society rooted in innovation and creativity. At the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Giftedness and Innovation, we firmly believe that investing in this group from an early age is an investment in a more prosperous future. To achieve this, it is essential to integrate efforts among government institutions, educational bodies, and parents to ensure a supportive and stimulating environment for gifted children. This includes focusing on the development of innovative educational curricula and providing specialized training and capacity-building opportunities for educators. Additionally, we need to strengthen international collaboration and leverage leading global experiences to adopt best practices in gifted education and establish new standards for early identification of exceptional abilities.”
The Gulf Forum for Talent and Creativity included scientific sessions and discussions, where experts from the Gulf and beyond shared successful strategies for nurturing gifted children in early childhood. The forum concluded with key recommendations, emphasizing comprehensive educational policies, stronger institutional collaboration, and greater use of modern technologies in identifying gifted children. It also highlighted the need for intensified research efforts to adopt the latest global best practices.
