And here’s why…

Dubai is set to be even more star-studded than usual next week.

Why, we hear you ask? Because plenty of celebrities are jetting into the city for a particularly worthy cause.

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Stars of the silver screen and sporting world will congregate at Atlantis The Palm on Sunday March 18 to recognise exceptional educators from around the world.

The Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize, a Dubai-based ceremony, awards US$1 million (Dhs3.67 million) every year to an outstanding teacher, selected from a shortlist of worthy finalists from around the world.

Among those attending the awards is Indian-born actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra, along with Oscar winner Charlize Theron.

The Hollywood duo will be joined by British Olympian runner Mo Farah, Kingsman actor Taron Egerton, Suits stars Gina Torres and Sarah Rafferty, and Trinidadian cricketer Brian Lara.

“The celebrities are endorsing their support to this cause of recognising and lifting the status of teachers globally,” a statement from the Global Education and Skills Forum said.

The finalists for the 2018 prize were revealed in a video last month by tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates—who gave HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum a shout-out in the clip.

“For his patronage of the prize, thank you to the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed,” the Microsoft co-founder said.

Sheikh Mohammed has been a patron since the awards launched in 2015, and presented the trophy to last year’s winner, Canadian teacher Maggie McDonnell.

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For this year’s Varkey prize, the 10 successful candidates were picked from a pool of more than 30,000 applications, with the finalists coming from Turkey, the Philippines, Colombia, the UK, the USA, Australia, Norway, Brazil, Belgium and South Africa.

We’ll bring you news of the winner when the ceremony is held next week.

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Images: Charlize Theron/Instagram