On 2 February 2026, Global Social Leaders proudly powered the inaugural SPARK Workshop & Challenge launched as part of SPARK.Dubai 2026, a global education initiative hosted by the Varkey Foundation, at the GEMS School of Research & Innovation (SRI) in Dubai.
We brought together young people from across the GEMS Education network for an inspiring half-day experience of leadership, collaboration and social action.
The SPARK Workshop marked the launch of the SPARK Social Action Challenge, a follow-on challenge inviting students to take forward a small, meaningful action in their own school or community. With light-touch support, resources and check-ins from the Global Social Leaders team, students are now continuing their journey, turning inspiration into action.
STUDENT’S BLOG
Throughout the challenge, we are inviting students to share their journey and progress.
This blog is from Ved, a student from Jumeirah College, who is on a mission to tackle plastic pollution by stepping out of his comfort zone, sparking new ideas and leading a school‑wide effort to reduce and recycle plastic for a cleaner future.
The Spark
When I first heard about the program I was quite unsure as to what was going to take place, but when I entered the program I knew it was going to be a blast.
The moment that started me thinking differently was the moment I was no longer with my friends from my own school but with people from other schools. I realized that if I was always stuck inside my safe haven I could never grow explore and make a difference. That was the moment an overpowering urge to make a difference sparked inside me knowing that if I tried something new and something different I could express my ideas to the real world and make a difference to me and to the people living in it.
I started thinking of all the problems people face today and I thought of plastic. It was just common, old and boring now, but then I realized people had forgotten it. I understood what I had to do to make a change and I powered through it.
My SPARK Challenge
I care about plastic and its adverse effects on the environment. I realized when I entered the workshop that people don’t really think about plastic as it has become increasingly common and they all try to do something new, flashy and innovative to solve the world’s problems.
I realized that if I want to make a real difference, I needed to start from the core problem and the base of it all. People are making special chemicals and new technologies that can clean all the plastic from the ocean. What if we eliminated plastics from the very shop they were bought from and in the very factory they were manufactured in? They would never reach the sea so I pledged to begin a large plastic collection drive in my school. In exchange for this, the company we give the plastic to gives us money which is then diverted to charity serving two purposes at the same time.
What I’m learning
I have learned that a lot of effort is required to achieve these dreams of a plastic free world and I also realised that it is not shameful to ask someone for help. It has surprised me that the plastic we use every day goes into the sea and into a landfill, not properly disposed of somewhere or recycled. I have also learned that it is an amazing material to recycle and my next step is to minimise its use in my school first and then my community. I am ready to help everyone doing something similar and I hope to partner up with a larger community in the future.
In One Sentence
We are the difference, we are the change, we are the SPARK!
A Call to Action
Make change, make a difference, becuase we are the changemakers!
For further information, email: spark.gsl@future-foundations.co.uk
