Hamdan bin Mohammed presents Indian teacher Rouble Nagi with Global Teacher Prize 2026 at the World Governments Summit

In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, presented the Global Teacher Prize 2026 to Rouble Nagi, a teacher from India. The winner of the tenth edition of the $1 million award, presented by GEMS Education, was announced during the World Governments Summit 2026.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said that honouring teachers reflects a deep appreciation for their role in society, noting that they leave a lasting impact on future generations and serve as role models who inspire a love of learning and a strong commitment to values. His Highness added that the award recognises the essential role educators play in shaping a better future for societies.

Sheikh Hamdan said: “Teachers are a central source of inspiration for students, guiding them towards a better life and instilling in them the values and ethics that shape society. Teaching remains one of humanity’s noblest professions.”

His Highness congratulated the winner and wished her, and teachers around the world, continued success in their mission to spread knowledge and nurture generations equipped to take on future responsibilities.

The award ceremony was attended by His Excellency Saqr Ghobash, Speaker of the Federal National Council; Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE National Olympic Committee; Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; His Excellency Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the World Governments Summit Organisation; Sunny Varkey, Chairman and Founder of GEMS Education; and a number of ministers and senior officials.

Leading international award
The Global Teacher Prize, presented by GEMS Education and organised by the Varkey Foundation in collaboration with UNESCO during the World Governments Summit, is a leading international award that honours exceptional educators for their outstanding contributions to the teaching profession and their role in shaping awareness within communities.

Rouble Nagi was honoured in recognition of her efforts to transform neglected walls into interactive educational murals that teach reading, writing and arithmetic, alongside key concepts related to public health and environmental awareness. Over the past two decades, she has helped integrate more than one million children into formal education by employing art as an educational tool, and was selected from more than 5,000 nominations and applications received from 139 countries.

Through her foundation, the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, Nagi established more than 800 educational centres across India, providing safe and inspiring spaces in over 100 low-income communities and villages. These centres enable out-of-school children to begin structured learning and gradually return to formal education, while supporting enrolled students through remedial education programmes, psychosocial support and creative activities.

The concept of ‘Living Walls of Learning’ is central to Nagi’s work, through which she transforms abandoned walls into open learning classrooms. Nagi travels extensively across India, working directly with children in educational centres and mentoring the teachers who lead them. She has recruited and trained more than 600 teachers and volunteers, creating a scalable model that responds to children’s educational, social and economic needs.

The programmes led by this distinguished teacher have succeeded in reducing school dropout rates by more than 50% and significantly improving long-term educational retention. Nagi plans to allocate the $1 million prize to establish a vocational institute offering free training in professional skills and digital literacy, with the aim of creating a genuine transformation in life opportunities for millions of underprivileged children and youth.

The list of ten finalists for the prize included: Adeola Olufunke (Nigeria), Alfonso Filippone (Italy), Ana Revuelta (Spain), Colleen O’Rourke (Australia), Ewa Drobek (Poland), Gloria Cisneros (Argentina), Jasmyn Wright (USA), Joshue Paternina (Colombia), and Timothy Stiven (USA).