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69-445: Sunny Varkey (born 9 April 1957) is an Indian education entrepreneur and philanthropist based in Dubai . He is the founder and executive chairman of the global advisory and educational management firm GEMS Education , which is the largest operator of private kindergarten-to-grade-12 schools in the world, with a network of over 80 schools in over a dozen countries. He is also the chairman of

138-520: A tropical , hot desert climate ( Köppen BWh). Summers in Dubai are extremely hot, prolonged, windy, and humid, with an average high around 40 °C (104 °F) and overnight lows around 30 °C (86 °F) in the hottest month, August. Most days are sunny throughout the year. Winters are mild to warm, with an average high of 24 °C (75 °F) and overnight lows of 14 °C (57 °F) in January,

207-399: A center for regional and international trade since the early 20th century, and its economy relies on revenues from trade, tourism, aviation, real estate, and financial services. Oil revenue helped accelerate the development of the city. However, oil production contributed less than 1 percent to the emirate's GDP in 2018. Due to financial secrecy, low taxes, and valuable real estate, Dubai

276-509: A construction boom that brought a massive influx of foreign workers, mainly Asians and Middle Easterners. Between 1968 and 1975, the city's population grew by over 300%. As part of the infrastructure for pumping and transporting oil from the Fateh field, located offshore of the Jebel Ali area of Dubai, two 500,000-gallon storage tanks were built, known locally as "Kazzans", by welding them together on

345-632: A mud wall, scattered with goats and camels. The main footpath out of the village led to a reedy creek while another trailed off into the desert and merged into caravan routes. In 1833, following tribal feuding, members of the Al Bu Falasah tribe seceded from Abu Dhabi and established themselves in Dubai. The exodus from Abu Dhabi was led by Obeid bin Saeed and Maktoum bin Butti , who became joint leaders of Dubai until Ubaid died in 1836, leaving Maktoum to establish

414-472: A natural inlet, Dubai Creek , which has been dredged to make it deep enough for large vessels to pass through. Dubai also has multiple gorges and waterholes, which dot the base of the Western Al Hajar mountains. A vast sea of sand dunes covers much of southern Dubai and eventually leads into the desert known as The Empty Quarter . Seismically , Dubai is in a very stable zone—the nearest seismic fault line,

483-509: A negative financial impact on the city, with depositors and traders withdrawing money and trade. However, Dubai rebounded in a changing political climate and prospered. In the late 1990s, various foreign trading communities—initially from Kuwait , during the Gulf War, and later from Bahrain , amidst the Shia unrest—relocated their businesses to Dubai. Dubai served as refuelling base for allied forces at

552-402: A new airport terminal building was constructed which included Dubai's first duty-free shops . Throughout the 1960s Dubai was the centre of a lively gold trade, with 1968 imports of gold at some £56 million. This gold was, in the vast majority, re-exported – mainly to customers who took delivery in international waters off India . The import of gold to India had been banned and so the trade

621-472: A pipeline from wells at Awir and a series of storage tanks and, by 1968, Dubai had a reliable supply of piped water. On 7 April 1961, the Dubai-based MV Dara , a five thousand ton British flagged vessel that plied the route between Basra (Iraq), Kuwait , and Bombay (India), was caught in unusually high winds off Dubai. Early the next morning in heavy seas off Umm al-Quwain, an explosion tore out

690-473: A purpose-built facility, Varkey took over the operation of the school, which had under 400 students at the time. He dropped his other businesses, expanded the school, and added new schools as well. The education situation in Dubai was ripe for expansion, since local schools were only for native Arabs, and the children of the ever-increasing number of expats needed education of their own. Varkey opened Indian, Pakistani, and British schools, and offered education under

759-560: A time when the tribes of the interior were also experiencing poverty. In a letter to the Sultan of Muscat in 1911, Butti laments, "Misery and poverty are raging among them, with the result that they are struggling, looting and killing among themselves." In 1910, in the Hyacinth incident , the town was bombarded by HMS Hyacinth , with 37 people killed. Dubai's geographical proximity to Iran made it an important trade location. The town of Dubai

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828-444: A town centre, all of which could feasibly be built with the limited financial resources at the time. 1959 saw the establishment of Dubai's first telephone company, 51% owned by IAL (International Aeradio Ltd) and 49% by Sheikh Rashid and local businessmen and in 1961 both the electricity company and telephone company had rolled out operational networks. The water company (Sheikh Rashid was chairman and majority shareholder) constructed

897-579: Is an appealing destination for money launderers, criminals, corrupt political figures and sanctioned businesspeople to launder or hide money. Dubai has the second-most five-star hotels in the world and the tallest building in the world , the Burj Khalifa , which is 828 metres (2,717 ft) tall. Located in the eastern Arabian Peninsula , on the coast of the Persian Gulf , it is a major global transportation hub for passengers and cargo. In 2023, Dubai

966-576: Is one of India's richest billionaires with a net worth of $ 3.5 billion. Varkey was born in Ranni , Kerala , India in 1957. His father, K. S. Varkey, and mother, Mariamma, were Kerala Syrian Christians , and educators. The family moved to Dubai in 1959, when the emirate was still very undeveloped. His father worked for British Bank of the Middle East (now called HSBC Bank Middle East ), and both of his parents taught English to local Arabs, including members of

1035-580: Is situated on the Persian Gulf coast of the United Arab Emirates and is roughly at sea level (16 m or 52 ft above). The emirate of Dubai shares borders with Abu Dhabi in the south, Sharjah in the northeast, and the Sultanate of Oman in the southeast. Hatta , a minor exclave of the emirate, is surrounded on three sides by Oman and by the emirates of Ajman (in the west) and Ras Al Khaimah (in

1104-636: The Al Qawasim tribe) to Dubai. An indicator of the growing importance of the port of Dubai can be gained from the movements of the steamer of the Bombay and Persia Steam Navigation Company, which from 1899 to 1901 paid five visits annually to Dubai. In 1902 the company's vessels made 21 visits to Dubai and from 1904 on, the steamers called fortnightly – in 1906, trading 70,000 tones of cargo. The frequency of these vessels only helped to accelerate Dubai's role as an emerging port and trading hub of preference. Lorimer notes

1173-521: The Jebel Ali port, a deep-water port accommodating larger ships, marked a significant development. Initially facing challenges, Sheikh Mohammed initiated the JAFZA ( Jebel Ali Free Zone ) around the port in 1985, facilitating unrestricted import of labour and export of capital for foreign companies. Simultaneously, Dubai airport and the aviation industry continued their expansion. The Gulf War in early 1991 had

1242-681: The Maktoum dynasty . Dubai signed the General Maritime Treaty of 1820 with the British government along with other Trucial States , following the British campaign in 1819 against Ras Al Khaimah . This led to the 1853 Perpetual Maritime Truce . Dubai also – like its neighbours on the Trucial Coast – entered into an exclusivity agreement in which the United Kingdom took responsibility for

1311-477: The Taipei 101 and officially gaining its title as the tallest skyscraper in the world. Dubai's smart city initiatives, which include smart tourism, play a key role in advancing the city’s growth ambitions, primarily through its Smart Dubai project. In 2016, the world's first functioning 3D-printed office building was opened in Dubai, as part of a drive to boost the Persian Gulf's main tourism and business hub. Dubai

1380-532: The Varkey Foundation (initially the Varkey GEMS Foundation) as the philanthropic arm of GEMS. The foundation intends to impact 100 impoverished children for every child enrolled at GEMS schools, via enrolment and education-access initiatives, worldwide teacher training programs, advocacy campaigns, and physical projects such as building classrooms, schools, and learning centres. Bill Clinton launched

1449-658: The Act of Union to form the United Arab Emirates . The seventh emirate, Ras Al Khaimah, joined the UAE on 10 February 1972, following Iran 's annexation of the RAK-claimed Tunbs islands. In 1973, Dubai joined the other emirates to adopt a uniform currency: the UAE dirham . In that same year, the prior monetary union with Qatar was dissolved and the UAE dirham was introduced throughout

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1518-531: The British government resulted in a cessation of hostilities. Despite a lack of oil, Dubai's ruler from 1958, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum , used revenue from trading activities to build infrastructure. Private companies were established to build and operate infrastructure, including electricity, telephone services, and both the ports and airport operators. An airport of sorts (a runway built on salt flats)

1587-463: The British withdrawal would leave behind. The principle of union was first agreed upon between the ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan , and Sheikh Rashid of Dubai on 18 February 1968 meeting in an encampment at Argoub Al Sedirah, near Al Semeih, a desert stop between the two emirates. The two agreed to work towards bringing the other emirates, including Qatar and Bahrain, into

1656-515: The Emirates. Throughout the 1970s, Dubai experienced continued growth fueled by revenues generated from oil and trade, even as the city witnessed an influx of immigrants fleeing the Lebanese civil war . Border disputes between the emirates persisted even after the formation of the UAE; it was only in 1979 that a formal compromise was reached, putting an end to disagreements. In 1979, the establishment of

1725-580: The GEMS family business. Dubai Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai , the most populated of the country's seven emirates . The city has a population of around 3.79 million (as of 2024), more than 90% of which are expatriates . Beginning in the early 20th century, Dubai developed into a significant regional and international trade hub, emphasizing on tourism and luxury. Dubai has been

1794-518: The Jebel Ali Free Zone during the Gulf War and again during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq . Subsequent significant increases in oil prices prompted Dubai to maintain its focus on free trade and tourism. In the early 2000s, construction of artificial islands on the coast of Dubai, known as the Palm Islands and The World Islands , began. The Burj Khalifa was opened in Dubai in 2010, surpassing

1863-513: The Persian Gulf. In 1937 an oil exploration contract was signed which guaranteed royalty rights for Dubai and concessionary payments to Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum . However, due to World War II , oil would not be struck until 1966. In the early days since its inception, Dubai was constantly at odds with Abu Dhabi . In 1947, a border dispute between Dubai and Abu Dhabi on the northern sector of their mutual border escalated into war. Arbitration by

1932-424: The Persian Gulf. By then, amenities in the town grew and a modern quarter was established, Al Bastakiya . Dubai was known for its pearl exports until the 1930s; the pearl trade was damaged irreparably by the 1929 Great Depression and the innovation of cultured pearls . With the collapse of the pearling industry, Dubai fell into a deep depression and many residents lived in poverty or migrated to other parts of

2001-658: The UK for a year, and completed his A-Levels in Dubai at the British Council . Varkey's parents founded Our Own English High School in Dubai in 1968. Varkey returned to Dubai in 1977, and his employment included work at Standard Chartered bank, opening a small trading company and a maintenance company, becoming part owner of the Dubai Plaza Hotel, and entering the healthcare industry. When in 1980 local authorities insisted that his parents' Our Own English High School be housed in

2070-603: The Varkey Group's umbrella company which held Welcare, was purchased by Mediclinic International in 2012. The sale of his healthcare sector allowed Varkey to focus on education and educational philanthropy. Varkey lives in Dubai . He is married and has two sons, Dino and Jay, who have taken leadership roles in GEMS Education , allowing him to focus on his philanthropic foundation. Varkey's sister, Susan Mathews, runs pre-schools, and his wife and mother have both offered advice on

2139-468: The Zagros Fault, is 200 kilometres (124 miles) from the UAE and is unlikely to have any seismic impact on Dubai. Experts also predict that the possibility of a tsunami in the region is minimal because the Persian Gulf waters are not deep enough to trigger a tsunami. The sandy desert surrounding the city supports wild grasses and occasional date palms. Desert hyacinths grow in the sabkha plains east of

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2208-560: The area in 1580 and mentioned Dubai ( Dibei ) for its pearling industry. Dubai is thought to have been established as a fishing village in the early 18th century and was, by 1822, a town of some 700–800 members of the Bani Yas tribe and subject to the rule of Sheikh Tahnun bin Shakhbut of Abu Dhabi . In 1822, a British naval surveyor noted that Dubai was at that time populated with a thousand people living in an oval-shaped town surrounded by

2277-659: The beach and then digging them out and floating them to drop onto the seabed at the Fateh field. These were constructed by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company , which gave the beach its local name (Chicago Beach), which was transferred to the Chicago Beach Hotel, which was demolished and replaced by the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in the late 1990s. The Kazzans were an innovative oil storage solution which meant supertankers could moor offshore even in bad weather and avoided

2346-586: The city, the salt-crusted coastal plains, known as sabkha , give way to a north–south running line of dunes. Farther east, the dunes grow larger and are tinged red with iron oxide . The flat sandy desert gives way to the Western Hajar Mountains , which run alongside Dubai's border with Oman at Hatta. The Western Hajar chain has an arid, jagged and shattered landscape, whose mountains rise to about 1,300 metres (4,265 feet) in some places. Dubai has no natural river bodies or oases; however, Dubai does have

2415-503: The city, while acacia and ghaf trees grow in the flat plains within the proximity of the Western Al Hajar mountains. Several indigenous trees such as the date palm and neem as well as imported trees such as the eucalyptus grow in Dubai's natural parks. The MacQueen's bustard , striped hyena , caracal , desert fox , falcon, and Arabian oryx are common in Dubai's desert. Dubai is on the migration path between Europe, Asia, and Africa, and more than 320 migratory bird species pass through

2484-679: The civilisations of the Indus Valley and Mesopotamia , and even as far afield as the Levant . Archaeological finds in the emirate of Dubai, particularly at Al-Ashoosh , Al Sufouh , and the notably rich trove from Saruq Al Hadid show settlement through the Ubaid and Hafit periods, the Umm Al Nar and Wadi Suq periods, and the three Iron Ages in the UAE. The area was known to the Sumerians as Magan and

2553-493: The construction of a jet airport... More and more European and Arab firms are opening up and the future looks bright." In 1962, with expenditure on infrastructure projects already approaching levels some thought imprudent, Sheikh Rashid approached his brother-in-law, the Ruler of Qatar , for a loan to build the first bridge crossing Dubai Creek . This crossing was finished in May 1963 and

2622-427: The coolest month. Dubai summers are also known for the very high humidity level, which can make it very uncomfortable for many with exceptionally high dew points, which can exceed 30 °C (86 °F) in summer. Heat index values can reach over 60 °C (140 °F) at the height of summer. The highest recorded temperature in Dubai is 49.0 °C (120.2 °F). Global Teacher Prize The annual prize

2691-507: The different curricula: Indian ( CBSE and ICSE ), U.S., British, and later International Baccalaureate . In 2000 Varkey established Global Education Management Systems (GEMS), an advisory and educational management firm, in advance of his worldwide overseas expansion. In 2003, he began opening GEMS schools in England and elsewhere. In December 2010, Varkey consolidated and structured his various donations and charitable initiatives by creating

2760-414: The emirate in spring and autumn. The waters of Dubai are home to more than 300 species of fish, including the hammour . The typical marine life off the Dubai coast includes tropical fish, jellyfish, coral, dugong , dolphins, whales, and sharks. Various types of turtles can also be found in the area including the hawksbill turtle and green turtle , which are listed as endangered species. Dubai features

2829-532: The emirate's security in 1892 . In 1841, a smallpox epidemic broke out in the Bur Dubai locality, forcing residents to relocate east to Deira . In 1896, fire broke out in Dubai, a disastrous occurrence in a town where many family homes were still constructed from barasti – palm fronds. The conflagration consumed half the houses of Bur Dubai, while the district of Deira was said to have been totally destroyed. The following year, more fires broke out. A female slave

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2898-523: The first major projects Sheikh Rashid embarked upon when oil revenue started to flow was the construction of Port Rashid , a deep-water free port constructed by British company Halcrow. Originally intended to be a four-berth port, it was extended to sixteen berths as construction was ongoing. The project was an outstanding success, with shipping queuing to access the new facilities. The port was inaugurated on 5 October 1972, although its berths were each pressed into use as soon as they had been built. Port Rashid

2967-520: The foundation. In March 2011, the foundation partnered with UNESCO for girls' education in Lesotho and Kenya , and donated $ 1,000,000 to the effort. In September 2011, a further $ 1 million was pledged with UNESCO to train 10,000 school principals in India, Ghana, and Kenya. In 2014, the foundation's Teacher Training Programme committed to train 250,000 teachers within 10 years in under-served communities across

3036-481: The need to pipe oil onshore from Fateh, which is some 60 miles out to sea. Dubai had already embarked on a period of infrastructural development and expansion. Oil revenue flowing from 1969 onwards supported a period of growth with Sheikh Rashid embarking on a policy of building infrastructure and a diversified trading economy before the emirate's limited reserves were depleted. Oil accounted for 24% of GDP in 1990 but had fallen to 7% of GDP by 2004. Critically, one of

3105-405: The north). The Persian Gulf borders the western coast of the emirate. Dubai is positioned at 25°16′11″N 55°18′34″E  /  25.2697°N 55.3095°E  / 25.2697; 55.3095 and covers an area of 1,588 sq mi (4,110 km ), which represents a significant expansion beyond its initial 1,500 sq mi (3,900 km ) designation due to land reclamation from

3174-486: The quality of education to highlight the enormous impact teachers have on our lives"; "Teaching needs to be the most important profession in the world and they've got to be given their due respect." Since 2018, Portugal has the 'Global Teacher Prize Portugal', which is an annual 30,000 EUR award by the Varkey Foundation as well, sponsored by Delta Cafe, partnered with Fundação Galp, Federação Portuguesa de Futebol, and audited by PWC. The first annual Global Teacher Prize

3243-748: The region, the Umayyad Caliph of the eastern Islamic world conquered south-east Arabia and drove out the Sassanians . Excavations by the Dubai Museum in the region of Al-Jumayra ( Jumeirah ) found several artefacts from the Umayyad period. An early mention of Dubai in 1095 is in the Book of Geography by the Andalusian - Arab geographer Abu Abdullah al-Bakri . The Venetian pearl merchant Gasparo Balbi visited

3312-484: The royal family. At the age of four, Sunny was sent back to Kerala to attend Infant Jesus Anglo-Indian Boys' School, a Catholic boarding school in Kollam city. When he was 11 years old, he sold fruit on the side of the road to make a little extra money. He and his elder sister returned to Dubai in 1970, and Sunny completed his O-Levels at St. Mary's Catholic High School . He pursued his A-Levels at Bembridge School in

3381-459: The rulers of the Eastern Gulf, the result of a treaty signed in 1892 named the "Exclusive Agreement". This was to change with Prime Minister Harold Wilson 's announcement, on 16 January 1968, that all British troops were to be withdrawn from "East of Aden". The decision was to pitch the coastal emirates, together with Qatar and Bahrain , into fevered negotiations to fill the political vacuum that

3450-462: The sea . Dubai lies directly within the Arabian Desert . However, the topography of Dubai is significantly different from that of the southern portion of the UAE in that much of Dubai's landscape is highlighted by sandy desert patterns, while gravel deserts dominate much of the southern region of the country. The sand consists mostly of crushed shell and coral and is fine, clean and white. East of

3519-409: The second class cabins and started fires. The captain gave the order to abandon ship but two lifeboats capsized and a second explosion occurred. A flotilla of small boats from Dubai, Sharjah , Ajman , and Umm al-Quwain picked up survivors, but 238 of the 819 persons on board were lost in the disaster. The construction of Dubai's first airport was started on the northern edge of the town in 1959 and

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3588-402: The slow flow of Dubai Creek inland. The poet and scholar Ahmad Mohammad Obaid traces it to the same word, but to its alternative meaning of "baby locust " ( Arabic : جراد ) due to the abundance of locusts in the area before settlement. The history of human settlement in the area now defined by the United Arab Emirates is complex and extensive. It points to extensive trading links between

3657-539: The terminal building opened for business in September 1960. The airport was initially serviced by Gulf Aviation (flying Dakotas , Herons, and Viscounts ) but Iran Air commenced services to Shiraz in 1961. In 1962 the British Political Agent noted that "Many new houses and blocks of offices and flats are being built... the Ruler is determined, against advice [from the British authorities] to press on with

3726-537: The third annual GESF in 2015. Varkey Group is the umbrella organisation covering GEMS Education and Varkey's other businesses, including healthcare and, previously, construction. Varkey founded the company in 1979, and it is based in Dubai, with additional offices in the UK, U.S., and India. In 1984 Varkey founded Welcare, a healthcare consultancy and management venture which developed a number of hospitals and clinics. A controlling interest in Emirates Healthcare,

3795-569: The transfer from Lingeh "bids fair to become complete and permanent", and also that the town had by 1906 supplanted Lingeh as the chief entrepôt of the Trucial States. The "great storm" of 1908 struck the pearling boats of Dubai and the coastal emirates towards the end of the pearling season that year, resulting in the loss of a dozen boats and over 100 men. The disaster was a major setback for Dubai, with many families losing their breadwinners and merchants facing financial ruin. These losses came at

3864-463: The umbrella business organisation the Varkey Group, and the founder and trustee of the philanthropic Varkey Foundation . As of 2012, Varkey is also a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador . And in June 2015, Varkey committed to The Giving Pledge , vowing to donate at least half of his money to philanthropic causes over his lifetime. He is the first education entrepreneur to join the pledge. According to Forbes, Varkey

3933-604: The union. Over the next two years, negotiations and meetings of the rulers followed—often stormy—as a form of union was thrashed out. The nine-state union was never to recover from the October 1969 meeting where British intervention against aggressive activities by two of the Emirates resulted in a walk-out by Bahrain and Qatar. They dropped out of talks, leaving six of the seven "trucial" emirates to agree on union on 18 July 1971. On 2 December 1971, Dubai, together with Abu Dhabi, Sharjah , Ajman , Umm al-Quwain , and Fujairah joined in

4002-598: The world. In 2013, the Varkey Foundation helped launch the annual Global Education and Skills Forum, in partnership with UNESCO and the U.A.E. Ministry of Education. Bill Clinton gave the inaugural keynote address. At the second annual forum in March 2014, Varkey announced the Global Teacher Prize , a $ 1 million award to an exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession, to be presented at

4071-514: Was $ 35 an ounce but its market price in India was $ 68 an ounce – a healthy markup. Estimates at the time put the volume of gold imports from Dubai to India at around 75% of the total market. After years of exploration following large finds in neighbouring Abu Dhabi , oil was eventually discovered in territorial waters off Dubai in 1966, albeit in far smaller quantities. The first field was named "Fateh" or "good fortune". This led to an acceleration of Sheikh Rashid's infrastructure development plans and

4140-401: Was a source of metallic goods, notably copper and bronze. The area was covered with sand about 5,000 years ago as the coast retreated inland, becoming part of the city's present coastline. Pre-Islamic ceramics have been found from the 3rd and 4th centuries. Prior to the introduction of Islam to the area, the people in this region worshiped Bajir (or Bajar ). After the spread of Islam in

4209-400: Was an important port of call for foreign tradesmen, chiefly those from Iran, many of whom eventually settled in the town. By the beginning of the 20th century, it was an important port. At that time, Dubai consisted of the town of Dubai and the nearby village of Jumeirah , a collection of some 45 areesh (palm leaf) huts. By the 1920s, many Iranians settled in Dubai permanently, moving across

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4278-494: Was awarded in March 2015 to Nancie Atwell , an innovative and pioneering English teacher and teacher trainer in rural Maine in the United States, who founded and runs a school where students read an average of 40 books a year, choose which books they read, and write prolifically. Atwell has authored nine books on teaching, including one which has sold more than half a million copies. She donated her $ 1   million prize to

4347-587: Was caught in the act of starting one such blaze and was subsequently put to death. In 1901, Maktoum bin Hasher Al Maktoum established Dubai as a free port with no taxation on imports or exports and also gave merchants parcels of land and guarantees of protection and tolerance. These policies saw a movement of merchants not only directly from Lingeh, but also those who had settled in Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah (which had historical links with Lingeh through

4416-468: Was characterized as smuggling, although Dubai's merchants were quick to point out that they were making legal deliveries of gold and that it was up to the customer where they took it. In 1966, more gold was shipped from London to Dubai than almost anywhere else in the world (only France and Switzerland took more), at 4 million ounces. Dubai also took delivery of over $ 15 million worth of watches and over 5 million ounces of silver. The 1967 price of gold

4485-568: Was established in Dubai in the 1950s and, in 1959, the emirate's first hotel, the Airlines Hotel, was constructed. This was followed by the Ambassador and Carlton Hotels in 1968. Sheikh Rashid commissioned John Harris from British architectural construction firm Halcrow , to create the city's first master plan in 1959. Harris imagined a Dubai that would rise from the historic centre on Dubai Creek, with an extensive road system, organised zones, and

4554-529: Was launched at the second annual Global Education and Skills Forum in March 2014 and received over 5,000 nominations from 127 countries. The Global Teacher Prize, which has been referred to by journalists as the Nobel Prize for teaching, highlights and celebrates the profession while giving greater recognition to the work of teachers all over the world The head of the Varkey Foundation has asserted that, "We want to promote teachers as stars and to support

4623-480: Was paid for by a toll levied on the crossing from the Dubai side of the creek to the Deira side. BOAC was originally reluctant to start regular flights between Bombay and Dubai, fearing a lack of demand for seats. However, by the time the asphalt runway of Dubai Airport was constructed in 1965, opening Dubai to both regional and long haul traffic, a number of foreign airlines were competing for landing rights. In 1970,

4692-571: Was the third most-visited city in the world . Many theories have been proposed as to the origin of the word "Dubai". One theory suggests the word used to be the souq in Ba. An Arabic proverb says " Daba Dubai " ( Arabic : دبا دبي ), meaning "They came with a lot of money." According to Fedel Handhal, a scholar on the UAE's history and culture, the word Dubai may have come from the word dabba ( Arabic : دب ) (a past tense derivative of yadibbu ( Arabic : يدب ), which means "to creep"), referring to

4761-451: Was to be further expanded in 1975 to add a further 35 berths before the larger port of Jebel Ali were constructed. Port Rashid was the first of a swath of projects designed to create a modern trading infrastructure, including roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals. Dubai and the other " Trucial States " had long been a British protectorate where the British government took care of foreign policy and defence, as well as arbitrating between

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