Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 26 June 2026: Deira International School, part of Al-Futtaim Education Foundation, the education arm of Al-Futtaim, has become the first school to join Terra Expo City Dubai’s Hundred Hives initiative, marking a significant milestone in the expansion of the programme from Terra’s Pollinator Garden into communities across Dubai.

The initiative aims to establish 100 beehives across schools, retail destinations, hospitality, businesses and community spaces. Hundred Hives is designed to create opportunities for people to engage with pollinators, biodiversity and the natural systems that support life in urban environments.

The milestone represents the latest chapter in Terra’s wider pollinator programme, which began with the discovery and careful relocation of wild bee colonies during the construction of Terra. Since then, the programme has expanded to include the creation of Jane Goodall’s Pollinator Garden, beekeeping courses for adults and children, immersive hive experiences and Hundred Hives.

As the first school to join the initiative and receive the hive, Deira International School will provide a school population of 2500 staff and students with opportunities to engage directly with a living ecosystem on campus, learning about biodiversity, pollination, environmental stewardship and the interconnected systems that support life. To mark the occasion, students took part in a series of hands-on pollinator experiences, including beeswax candle making and the naming of the school’s Queen Bee.

While hives are the most visible part of the initiative, the programme is rooted in a broader understanding of how ecosystems function. Pollinators support native plants, native plants provide food and habitat for wildlife, and healthy soils, fungi and microorganisms underpin the growth and resilience of these ecosystems. Through the Hundred Hives initiative, Terra is creating opportunities to better understand and monitor these interconnected relationships over time, helping to build knowledge of urban biodiversity and ecosystem health in the UAE.

“The future of biodiversity depends on connection. By bringing living ecosystems into schools, we are creating opportunities for young people to develop a deeper understanding of the natural world and their role within it,” said Marjan Faraidooni, Chief of Education and Culture, Expo City Dubai. “Education has the power to shape the future, and nature-first experiences inspire curiosity, responsibility and action. We are proud to welcome Deira International School as the first school to join the Hundred Hives initiative and look forward to seeing the impact this programme has on future generations.”

Dr. Farah Sarraj, Chief Corporate Officer, Al-Futtaim Education Foundation, said, “At Al-Futtaim Education Foundation, we believe learning through observation and experimentation is one of the deepest and most impactful forms of learning. The arrival of our beehives will spark curiosity, inspire discovery and encourage students to make connections and test ideas that are uniquely their own. I am so excited about the endless opportunities for learning that the Hundred Hives programme will bring to our students. By becoming the first school to join the Hundred Hives initiative, Deira International School is giving students the opportunity to engage directly with a living ecosystem on their campus, encouraging curiosity, environmental awareness and a deeper understanding of the interconnected systems that support life around us. We are proud to partner with Terra Expo City Dubai on an initiative that inspires students not only to learn about sustainability, but to experience it first-hand.”

Pollinators play a vital role in supporting biodiversity and food systems, with approximately 75% of crop species benefiting from insect pollination. As cities continue to grow, urban pollinator initiatives are increasingly recognised as important tools for supporting biodiversity while helping communities reconnect with nature.

For Terra, the initiative reflects a broader commitment to transforming environmental education from something that is observed into something that is experienced. Rather than learning about biodiversity solely through textbooks, students are given the opportunity to engage with it first-hand through a living, working hive located within their everyday environment.

As Hundred Hives continues to expand across Dubai, the initiative aims to create a growing network of pollinator habitats, learning opportunities and long-term environmental monitoring sites that inspire curiosity, encourage participation and help cultivate a new generation of environmental stewards.