Speaking alongside world-renowned content creator MrBeast at the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest expo for content creators, in Dubai, education pioneer and philanthropist Sunny Varkey today issued a global challenge to content creators and influencers: use their platforms to amplify the crisis of out of school children – and turn attention into action. There are currently 272 million children out of school, and little progress has been in the last decade. UNICEF predicts the figure could rise to 278 million by the end of the year.

Mr Varkey was speaking on a panel alongside MrBeast, His Excellency Saeed Al Eter, Chair of the UAE Government Media Office and Jeffery Housenbold, CEO of Beast Industries, at the 1 Billion Followers Summit. Organised by the UAE Government Media Office, the summit is the world’s largest gathering of digital creators. It explores how new media can drive positive societal change and fuel sustainable economic growth for nations.

Speaking onstage, Sunny Varkey, Founder of GEMS Education and the Varkey Foundation, said:

“Did you know that globally there are 272 million children not in school today? It is a global education crisis. This is a scar on the world’s conscience. And yet, I have never once seen this crisis trend on social media.

“Perhaps that is because its impact is gradual rather than dramatic. It doesn’t lend itself to a simple powerful photo that shows the suffering of its victims. But it is there – a cancer slowly eating away at the futures of young people around the world. So today, I want to set a challenge. I challenge every content creator here to help make the global education crisis trend- and go viral - so we can advance the cause of getting every child into school. This is urgent. Education is the greatest gift we can give.”

A cornerstone of the Summit is the 1 Billion Acts of Kindness movement, launched in partnership between Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, MrBeast, the 1 Billion Followers Summit, and the Varkey Foundation. This ground-breaking initiative aims to inspire kindness worldwide and amplify social impact through education, empowerment, and community development.

As part of the movement, 20 creators appeared onstage alongside the panellists, selected to travel to Ghana with MrBeast. There, the creators will help build a village including schools, clean water, and access to life-saving healthcare – transforming the lives of future generations to come. Their journey will be shared with MrBeast’s over 1 billion followers to inspire others around the world to take action in their communities and beyond.

Sunny Varkey’s call comes as recent research by the Reuters Institute shows that globally, one-third of people use Facebook (36%) and YouTube (30%) for news each week. Around one-fifth (19%) get their news from Instagram and WhatsApp. The findings underscore the influence of social media in shaping public awareness and driving action on the world’s most urgent challenges.

About the Varkey Foundation 

The Varkey Foundation, founded by education pioneer and philanthropist Sunny Varkey, believes every child deserves a vibrant, stimulating learning environment that awakens and supports their full potential. The foundation believes nothing is more important to achieving this than the passion and quality of teachers. They support global teaching capacity and seed excellence and innovation in the next generation of educators. They founded the Global Teacher Prize to celebrate the incredible work of educators worldwide—now joined by the Global Student Prize and Global Schools Prize, completing a powerful trilogy honouring teachers, learners, and schools as forces of innovation and change. For further details: www.varkeyfoundation.org   

About GEMS Education 

GEMS Education is one of the world’s leading private K-12 education providers, educating more than 200,000 students from 176+ nationalities across its global network of owned and managed schools. With nearly half a million alumni, GEMS has built a legacy of impact that spans generations and continents. 

  

Established in Dubai in 1959, GEMS remains a family-founded and family-led organisation, guided by its visionary founder and chairman Sunny Varkey, and his sons Dino Varkey (Group CEO) and Jay Varkey (Deputy Group CEO). 

With a focus on delivering high-quality education to students from all walks of life, GEMS offers a wide range of curricula and learning pathways. Each year, GEMS students graduate into the world’s top universities, including all eight Ivy League institutions and every UK Russell Group university, and go on to become leaders, innovators, and changemakers in every sector. 

Through its expanding school network and philanthropic initiatives, GEMS is committed to its mission: to put a quality education within reach of every learner, everywhere. 

Learn more at www.gemseducation.com 

About Beast Industries 

Founded by YouTube creator, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Jimmy Donaldson (MrBeast), Beast Industries is a global entertainment powerhouse known for its ground-breaking content, viral challenges, and large-scale philanthropic initiatives. With over 450 million subscribers, MrBeast became the most-subscribed YouTube channel in the world in June 2024 and now generates more than 2 billion views each month. The Prime Video series Beast Games became the streamer’s most-watched unscripted series ever and broke 44 Guinness World Records, further cementing MrBeast’s impact beyond digital platforms. Season 2 of Beast Games is out on January 7, 2026. Donaldson was named the #1 creator on Forbes’ 2025 Top Creators List and has been featured on both the TIME 100 and the inaugural TIME 100 Climate list. In 2022, he launched Feastables, a snack brand that quickly became one of the fastest-growing CPG companies in history. A leader in digital-first philanthropy, Donaldson has spearheaded major global campaigns, including #TeamTrees, which raised over $23 million to plant 23 million trees, #TeamSeas, which removed 30 million pounds of waste from oceans, rivers, and beaches, and #TeamWater, which raised over $40 million to provide clean water to people around the world. In 2020, he founded Beast Philanthropy, a 501(c)(3).

About the 1 Billion Followers Summit 

With a goal of reaching over a billion people worldwide, the 1 Billion Followers Summit, the world’s largest summit dedicated to the content creator economy, organised by the UAE Government Media Office, brings together top global social media influencers across all online platforms. The summit explores how new media can drive positive societal change and fuel sustainable economic growth for nations. It is a key component of the Emirates’ drive to foster a vibrant content creator community. Alongside business support services, and a globally connected, secure multinational environment, the UAE has committed resources and facilities specifically to fostering content creation, including a million-dollar content creator award being announced at the summit, which takes place from 9 to 11 January 2026. For more information, please visit www.1billionsummit.com