10 – 12 November 2026
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Dubai World Trade Centre Sheikh Saeed Halls 1, 2 & 3
Sari Saliba
General Manager - Hei Nurseries
Children and their well-being have always been close to her heart and that is why she studied social services and worked as a school social worker. Later she had an opportunity to work as a manager in the Early Years setting in Dubai. From there she moved to Head of Education, and later to Director of Operations and Education positions in a well-known early years' education provider. Currently Sari is working as a General Manager bringing Finland's renowned Early Childhood Education finally in its true form to the UAE.
Sari believes that when a child's best care and happiness are mutual goals for the moms and dads and early years professionals, it is easy to work together supporting each other's role in the child's life. Her role is to support both parents and educators to achieve the balanced education of the child.
She also believes that a child learns the best, when provided socioemotional security and a nurturing environment with lots of possibilities for learning activities. She emphasizes holistic approach to early years learning and strongly believes that allowing children to explore and learn by using all their senses, is the best approach to early childhood education.
Speaker Sessions
GESS Talks Live
1628
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Panel Session: Quality in Early Childhood Panel by IECE
Session Summary:
This talk explores what "quality" truly means in early years education and beyond, beyond curriculum checklists, compliance, the classroom walls and extending it to the outside environment as well. The panel aims to share practical insights into building a culture of quality that is inclusive, reflective, and sustainable.
The discussion will highlight key drivers of quality, including responsive educator-child relationships, pedagogical approaches, continuous professional development, and strong parent partnerships. We will also discuss how structured leadership, process management, and thoughtful environment design contribute to ongoing quality enhancement.
This talk aims to inspire early years professionals and leaders to view quality not as a fixed goal, but as an evolving journey - one that requires collaboration, curiosity, and a commitment to every child’s right to belong and thrive, high-quality early years education is a holistic approach one that lays the foundation not only for academic success, but also for emotional resilience, social awareness, and lifelong well-being, raising tolerant, confident individuals equipped to prosper in a diverse and evolving world.
Speakers:
May Zalat
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Inclusion Director - Kids First Group (KFG)
