New partnership highlights deep relationship between Qatar and the UK

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, met today with His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle in the UK to foster new avenues of collaboration and promote cultural and educational partnerships.

Her Highness Sheikha Moza’s visit underscores the importance of the cultural and educational relations between Qatar and the UK, and reflects the close and historic ties between the two nations as they celebrate the Qatar UK 2013 Year of Culture. The meeting with The Prince of Wales is intended to further bolster relations, while providing a solid platform from which both countries can continue to pursue innovation in the fields of science, technology and education and build strategic alliances.

Through its involvement in Qatar UK 2013, Qatar Foundation is eager to continue promoting an awareness and appreciation of each nation’s culture, achievements and heritage. At the heart of its mission is the desire to develop the creative potential of youth and support their interests in a wide range of fields. By working with leading UK institutions to encourage greater cooperation in arts and culture, this mission can be further advanced.

During the meeting, Her Highness Sheikha Moza shared several of Qatar Foundation’s forthcoming initiatives within the realms of education, science, research, arts and culture. Sheikha Moza also emphasised her commitment to dialogue and to the creation of fruitful agreements that can enhance the two-way flow of knowledge.

“Qatar greatly values its relationship with the UK as a long-term partner for mutual development, cultural partnerships and growth. Qatar Foundation is working to create a tangible legacy from the Year of Culture, by building strong bridges of cooperation with British institutions that can play a significant role in enhancing this legacy of common understanding.” said Her Highness Sheikha Moza.

After the meeting, Dr Mohammad Fathy Saoud, President of Qatar Foundation, met with Andrew Wright, Executive Director of The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation and signed a Memorandum of Understanding that emphasised the importance of the working relationship between the two organisations in education, cultural awareness and community development. Dr Fathy Saoud commended the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation for promoting understanding and fostering the exchange of knowledge between organisations with similar missions.

“Qatar Foundation is strongly committed to sharing knowledge and deeply appreciates the breadth of work that is being undertaken by institutions like the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Foundation, which share common values for the advancement of quality education, culture, and community development,” he said. “Qatar Foundation plays a fundamental role by building upon partnerships that have been identified as central to developing the skills of youth and achieving Qatar’s National Vision 2030.”

In the course of this flourishing bilateral relationship, both nations have reaped the rewards of advancements in multiple fields, such as information and computing technology, healthcare, and arts. Within the sphere of science and research, Qatar Foundation supports a large number of projects in collaboration with UK institutions and universities, which also serve Qatar’s needs in developing human capacity and earning recognition as an important generator of knowledge across the world. Both nations have a shared interest in developing excellence in a variety of fields, including museology and library and information studies.

A number of activities will be held in the coming months to further develop and build upon Qatar Foundation’s relationship with UK entities. In September, a series of insightful UK-based lectures will be presented by scholars and senior researchers from Education City, who will discuss engaging topics that highlight advancements in the areas of computing, energy, environment, healthcare, medicine, architecture and urban planning.