United Arab Emirates, January 14, 2026: Education pioneer and philanthropist Sunny Varkey has called on content creators worldwide to use their platforms to amplify the global crisis of out-of-school children, urging them to turn awareness into action. Speaking alongside world-renowned content creator MrBeast at the 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai, Varkey challenged influencers to help make the issue “trend and go viral.”
Addressing the audience, Varkey highlighted that UNICEF estimates 272 million children are currently out of school, with projections indicating the figure could rise to 278 million by year-end. He noted that despite the scale of the challenge, progress has stalled over the past decade.
“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,” Varkey said.
“Perhaps that is because its impact is gradual rather than dramatic. 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.”
Varkey appeared on a panel alongside MrBeast, His Excellency Saeed Al Eter, Chair of the UAE Government Media Office, and Jeffery Housenbold, CEO of Beast Industries. Organised by the UAE Government Media Office, the summit is billed as the world’s largest gathering of digital creators, examining how new media can drive societal change and sustainable economic growth.
A key feature of the summit is the 1 Billion Acts of Kindness movement, launched in partnership with Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, MrBeast, the summit organisers, and the Varkey Foundation. The initiative aims to amplify social impact through education, empowerment, and community development.
As part of the movement, 20 creators were selected to travel to Ghana with MrBeast to help build a village with schools, clean water, and access to healthcare. Their journey will be shared with MrBeast’s global audience to inspire community action.
Recent research from the Reuters Institute underscores the influence of social platforms, showing that large segments of the global population rely on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and WhatsApp for weekly news—highlighting the potential reach of creator-led advocacy on education.
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