His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan presents Sheikha Fatima Awards to 28 GEMS students

Awards instituted in honour of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak for her
contributions to the empowerment of UAE women

Dubai, April 27, 2011: His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, UAE Minister of

Higher Education and Scientific Research, today, awarded the Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak

Award for Excellence to 28 girls from the GEMS network of schools across the Middle East and

The seventh annual award includes a scholarship to cover a year’s tuition fee at a GEMS school

and a memento. The Awards were started by GEMS in 2005 to honour Her Highness Sheikha

Fatima Bint Mubarak, wife of late President His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan,

for her contributions to the empowerment of the UAE women, and her support for excellence in

all areas. The event acknowledges Her Highness’ role as mother of the nation, and her vision to

celebrate, and support women’s achievements and self determination.

The award has traditionally recognized young women from GEMS Schools in the UAE. Since

2009, the award has been extended to all female students from GEMS Schools around the

Middle East and India.

attended today’s award ceremony.

Two young women from Qatar, one from Jordan and India each

These outstanding girls were nominated by their schools and were chosen based on outstanding

academic success, significant contribution to environmental concerns, high level of commitment

to the communities they live in and their demonstration of world citizenship.

PO Box 8607 Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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www.gemseducation.com

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GEMS Founder and Chairman Sunny Varkey congratulated the students, parents and teachers,

and urged the winners to pursue excellence in all their future endeavours. “I congratulate these

young girls for their exceptional academic achievements and their significant contributions to

their schools and the community.”

“Sheikha Fatima Awards celebrate promising students in our schools and encourages them to

maintain their social commitment as well as academic and extra curricular excellence. We are

committed to promoting talent and supporting our youth for their contributions to the society,”

The Award is another example of the commitment by GEMS Schools to recognize and celebrate

the achievements of GEMS Students, while providing them with quality education.