Global Social Leaders (GSL) is proud to be powering the SPARK Workshop & Challenge, launching as part of SPARK.Dubai 2026, a global education initiative hosted by the Varkey Foundation.
Taking place on 2 February 2026 at the GEMS School of Research & Innovation, the SPARK Workshop will bring together students from across GEMS schools for a high-energy, half-day experience focused on leadership, collaboration and social action.
The programme will be delivered by a team of five Global Social Leaders coaches from the UK, who deliver youth leadership and social action programmes worldwide. They will be supported by Global Teacher Prize Ambassadors, creating a powerful learning environment that connects students, educators and global changemakers.
Students will collaborate across schools, explore issues they care about, and develop early-stage ideas for positive change. Following the workshop, participants will be invited to complete the SPARK Challenge, an independent social action project supported with light-touch guidance and resources.
We have been delighted by the strong response from GEMS schools, reflecting a shared commitment to empowering young people as leaders and changemakers.
The initiative will also involve GEMS Youth Parliamentarians, who will act as peer mentors during the workshop and continue to inspire students as they take their ideas forward back in school.
Jonathan Harper FRSA, Co-Founder of Global Social Leaders, said:
The SPARK Workshop will give young people the confidence to realise their ideas matter and that they can play an active role in shaping a positive change in the world. I am looking forward to meeting the students and hearing their ideas and seeing how they develop. We are delighted to be supporting the design and delivery of the inaugural SPARK Challenge working in partnership with Varkey Foundation.
SPARK sits within the wider context of SPARK.Dubai 2026, a one-day conference that will explore ways to unlock the transformative power of the world’s schools.
The 24 schools taking part are as follows:
- The Cambridge High School Abu Dhabi
- GEMS Dubai American Academy
- GEMS FirstPoint School The Villa
- GEMS Founders School Al Mizhar
- GEMS Founders School Dubai
- GEMS International School Al Khail
- GEMS Metropole School Al Waha
- GEMS Metropole School Motor City
- GEMS Modern Academy
- GEMS Our Own English High School Dubai
- GEMS Our Own Indian School
- GEMS Royal Dubai School
- GEMS Wellington International School
- GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi
- GEMS World Academy Dubai
- Jumeirah College
- Our Own English High School Sharjah
- Our Own High School Al Warqa’a
- The Millennium School
- The Westminster School Dubai
- The Winchester School Jebel Ali
- GEMS School of Research and Innovation
- GEMS Millennium School Sharjah
- GEMS Founders School Dubai South
We are excited to have 9 Global Teacher Prize Ambassadors supporting the workshop:
- Anh Phuong Ha, Global Teacher Prize Finalist (Vietnam)
- David Swanston, Global Teacher Prize Finalist (UK)
- Evans Odei, Global Teacher Prize Finalist (Ghana)
- Hiba Ballout, Global Teacher Prize Finalist (Lebanon)
- Jane Chikapa, Global Teacher Prize Finalist (Malawi)
- Kirsten Cuppen, Global Teacher Prize Fincliase (Netherlands)
- Mariette Wheeler, Global Teacher Prize 2023 Finalist (South Africa)
- Peter Tabichi, Global Teacher Prize Winner 2019 (Kenya)
- Shawn Adler, Global Teacher Prize Finalist (USA)
We are delighted to have 5 of our team leading the workshop in Dubai:
- Jonathan Harper
- Andy Dunn
- Shenel Shefik
- Juliette Noske
- Mark Corbett
We look forward to sharing further updates about the workshop and the challenge.
For further information about the event, email: spark.gsl@future-foundations.co.uk
