DOHA, Qatar

The 11th edition of the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), of which Anadolu Agency is the Global Communication Partner, kicked off on Tuesday in the Qatari capital Doha.

The opening session of the two-day summit being held at the Qatar National Convention Center featured Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the co-founder and chairperson of the Qatar Foundation, who is also Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's mother.

Nasser said that since the beginning of Israel's ongoing aggression against Gaza, 36 schools and universities supported by the Al Fakhoora program, which is run by the Education Above All Foundation and aimed at helping Gaza children with their schooling, have been completely or partially destroyed.

Noting that much of what the Al Fakhoora program had achieved was wiped out, Nasser emphasized that children were deprived of education as schools and universities were destroyed due to violence.

Pointing out that the international community's efforts to protect education are weak, Nasser said the focus of this year's WISE Summit is not to be far from education and how to develop ways to use the capabilities and opportunities of artificial intelligence.

"This makes us wonder: whose stories does artificial intelligence select to be archived as history? Whose history will be told? Which ideas will be chosen as the most credible? And then: how do we maintain our independence and preserve our educational values? How do we remain sovereign societies?" she said, further mentioning the disinformation surrounding the war in Gaza.

Nina Schick, founder of Tamang Ventures Limited, said the capabilities of artificial intelligence are increasing exponentially.

Noting that the trend is continuing, Schick said that humanity is on the verge of "one of the most profound technological shifts" in its history.

Meanwhile, Aidan White, the founder of the London-based Ethical Journalism Network (EJN), said they observed information being distorted and then distributed during conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine through the use of advanced technology.

White also said that journalists should focus on "lives under attack" in Gaza.

Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, vice chairperson and CEO of the Qatar Foundation, presented the 2023 WISE Education Award to Safeena Husain, the founder and board member of Educate Girls.

Later, 15-year-old Gazan rapper MC Abdul performed songs on the theme of Gaza and education.

- WISE Summit and awards

WISE 11, an initiative of the Qatar Foundation and held this year with the theme "Creative Fluency: Human Development in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” focuses on developing human creativity and values in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).

The summit covers a wide range of topics including the impact of culture and language on education systems, practical solutions for navigating an AI-driven world, neuro-education, developing skills for the future, and best practices for implementing and scaling innovative education models.

More than 300 speakers from around the world in the fields of education, business and academics are attending the summit held at the Qatar National Convention Center with local, regional and international experts sharing their views.

At the summit, more than 200 sessions will be held in three thematic areas on various topics to find solutions to educational problems.

Each year, the WISE Awards recognize and support six innovative projects that address global education challenges and bring positive change to societies and communities.