PARIS: Mawhiba, an endowment organization that aims to nurture talented Saudi students in the scientific field, has signed a partnership agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to foster science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education across Arab countries. The agreement was signed on July 19, 20204 in Paris by Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Subail, Mawhiba deputy secretary-general for business development and communication, and Lidia Arthur Brito, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for natural sciences, Mawhiba said in a news release carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Mawhiba is the short name for the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, which was organized in 1999 in honor of Saudi Arabia’s founding king. As explained by Brito, the partnership aims to enhance STEM education for students from 6th grade to 12th grade across Arab states, ”focusing on refining their scientific knowledge, nurturing creativity, and fostering critical thinking,“ according to news release. It seeks ”to provide young people with the necessary knowledge and capabilities and to motivate them to use science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to meet global challenges,“ she said. She said the experience gained by Mawhiba in working with youth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will help in exchanging these experiences globally, adding that ”there is potential for expanding these efforts to Africa and other parts of the world to promote sustainable development goals.“ Special attention will be given to empowering Arab girls and young women, ensuring they have equal opportunities to excel in STEM fields, she said. Mawhiba has identified 97,000 gifted students out of more than 300,000 tested in more than 100 cities and villages across the Kingdom. Its sponsorship of over 54,000 students and its participation in international science competitions for talented youth has reaped global recognition for the Kingdom.  Saudi students have so far won over 397 medals and prizes in these competitions, developed over 16,000 ideas, acquired 15 patents and over 1,000 Saudi students were accepted in the world’s top 50 prestigious universities in distinguished disciplines that meet the needs of national development plans, the SPA report said. Mawhiba Secretary-General Amal bint Abdullah Al-Hazzaa emphasized the shared commitment to empowering young Arab minds and advancing sustainable development through education and innovation. She underscored the importance of this collaboration within the framework of Saudi Vision 2030. Central to the initiative is the MAWHIBA-UNESCO Online STEM Oasis, which will serve as a global platform for local, national, and regional science and engineering fairs.  The partnership will focus on training Arab science teachers to lead research and guide students in scientific projects, thereby enhancing the overall quality of STEM education, said the Mawhiba news release. ”Mawhiba is committed to expanding the use of the UNESCO Open Science Portal and the UNESCO Science-2-Innovation Network to build the capacity of young scientists and women in STEM education globally. “Over the past three years, Mawhiba has supported 839 students from Arab states through enriching STEM programs, setting a precedent for regional cooperation and development in STEM education,” it added. By joining forces with UNESCO, Mawhiba aims to amplify its ability to address global challenges such as climate change, health crises, and technological disruptions, it said.