One School One Country Launches in Abu Dhabi

International delegates and schoolchildren have marked the launch of the One School One Country programme, which will be an integral part of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017. The programme is aimed at sharing knowledge, values, and the importance of skills through a global network of education and friendship. 

Waving flags and decked in colour, students from 59 ACTVET and ADEC schools welcomed representatives of the WorldSkills Member countries and regions that are participating in the world championship of skills. The event, in which young people compete to be the best in the world, will take place in the UAE capital in October this year. It is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Through the One School One Country exchange schoolchildren and members of WorldSkills national teams will learn about each other lives and cultures, while increasing international awareness of vocational skills.

The launch ceremony which was held in Abu Dhabi, represented the start of nine months of interaction between each school and country. It will culminate two days before the Competition on October 12 when each team will visit its paired school for a day that celebrates international connections, and the power of skills. They were watched by an invited audience that included the UAE Minister of Education, other senior Government officials, ambassadors, and representatives of WorldSkills International.

In his speech at the event, His Excellency Mubarak Al Shamsi, the Director General of ACTVET said: “The bonds of friendship we witness for the first time today will grow in the coming months as the school students and teams learn more about each other.”

"WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 represents not just the world as it is, but the world as it will be. […] The UAE is seen across the region and the world as a place where hard work and commitment are rewarded, and respect and tolerance are a cornerstone of society.” 

“WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 is a celebration of youth and for youth; one that we will witness with pride and with hope for the future generations.”

The President of WorldSkills International, Simon Bartley, said: “As a world, we desperately need an understanding of other cultures that exist outside our own. Any programme that brings together individuals, especially the young individuals that we have in the One School One Country programme, must - I repeat, must - be a good and a valuable thing which we, the older generation, are charged with.”

Mr Bartley also called on members of the diplomatic community to champion the cause of skills and vocational education in their home countries.

"To the ambassadors who are here today, I urge you to go back to your homes and tell the ministers who are responsible for skills education that skills are important; that skills together with higher education, are part of the future. We hope that the legacy of our competition is taken home by the competitors, by experts, by officials, by politicians, and that this message is distributed by the press.”

The launch of One School One Country, included an elaborate and colourful dance by more than 50 schoolgirls from the UAE. Then children and teachers from the schools took to the stage waving flags as it was announced which school would be paired with each member country.

Speaking on the sidelines of the One School One Country launch, eight year old Alia Al Zarouni, of Al Ittihad Private School, and her classmate Mohammed Bader, who is ten, said they were delighted to be hosting the UAE national team for the October competition.

"We are really, really excited," said Alia who described the One School, One Country launch as "just amazing" and said her school friends were all looking forward to being part of the WorldSkills Abu Dhabi journey.

Ghaith Nayef, eight, and his classmate Saif Fahad, nine, from Mohamed Bin Al Qasem School, have been partnered with competitors in Macau, China, with Ghaith saying: "I've never been to China, but I'm excited to find out more about the country.”

WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017, the world’s largest vocational skills competition, is open to the public free of charge at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from 15–18 October, with Opening and Closing ceremonies held at the du Arena on 14 and 19 October.

This is the 44th WorldSkills Competition, and WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 will be the first time it has been held in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

About 10,000 international visitors are expected, while a record-breaking 1,300 competitors are registered in 51 skills competitions. About 100,000 UAE visitors, mostly young people, are expected to attend over the four days of competition, while teams are drawn from the 76 member countries and regions of WorldSkills International, with Palestine and Romania expected to take part in a WorldSkills competition for the first time.