The generous £1m gift of Mohammed bin Issa Al Jaber (reported in 2007) has since been supplemented by gifts from Mr Haruisha Handa (who also subsidised the Choir’s tour of Japan – see page X) for the installation of a rooftop garden, and in June the Wolfson Foundation made a gift of £100,000 towards the project.  The College was also delighted by the support of Professor Anna Balazs (Visiting Fellow, 2000), whose generosity will see a professional quality grand piano installed in the new Auditorium.

President Pottering thanked MBI Al Jaber for his efforts towards the advancement of education in the Middle East and for supporting projects aimed at building bridges between Europe, the broader Middle East region and the wider world.

President Pottering is shortly to visit officially the region due to his respective particular interest in it.

Applications had been invited from Iraqi nationals to apply for full scholarships to undertake a Masters’ Degree, and after a good response and shortlisting, interviews took place in the region.

The successful candidates are now taking up places at UCL, Westminster and SOAS, and are studying a wide range of subjects from medical sciences to journalism and financial law.

The MBI Scholars were chosen not only for their academic prowess, but for their desire to return to their country and make a contribution.

The interview panel, which included Iraqi academics and representatives of the Iraq Higher Education Organisational Committee, remarked on the high quality of all of the candidates.

“The heritage site of Tyre is under threat.

“UNESCO has already launched two urgent appeals to the belligerents to ensure that the hostilities spare the site and its surroundings, which are part of the ancestral heritage of humanity, and avert the total destruction feared by all.

“I am compelled to renew this appeal and extend it to the other cultural and historical heritage sites of the region, which are also facing serious threat.

“My compassion goes first to the men, women and, especially, the children, who are experiencing the ordeal of fire, shelling and despair. Nevertheless, we must also think about our immense responsibility towards sites such as Tyre, Baalbek, Byblos, Anjar, the Holy Valley and the Forest of the Cedars of God, in Lebanon, and the Old City of Acre in Israel. All these names – names that stir the imagination - are symbols of the encounter of religions and cultures that are universally recognized as our common heritage.

“This is why - in keeping with The Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954), and by virtue of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972), conventions of which both Israel and Lebanon are signatories - I solemnly request that all necessary measures be taken to safeguard and protect these cultural properties of inestimable value. We must ensure that they survive to be handed down to future generations, just as previous generations handed them down to us.

“Naturally, as soon as the situation permits, UNESCO will help assess the situation of these sites and lend its expertise for their rehabilitation.”

This summer, ‘A’ Team Arts, a Youth Art organisation based in Tower Hamlets, London has focused on Islamic art to give the inspiration for their summer our fashion course 'Hands On Fashion'. Carolyn Perry, administrator of the MBI Al Jaber Foundation, and Islamic Art specialist, took students on a tour of the British Museum’s Islamic Gallery and also the contemporary exhibition of Middle Eastern artists called ‘Word into Art’. With gallery visits for inspiration, students were then taken through all of the stages required to design and create an outfit for a catwalk collection. The programme works with young people aged 13-19. As well as learning skills in sewing and garment construction the students use different textile techniques and methods.

The results will be shown in the internationally renowned Alternative Fashion Week which takes place in London in March 2007: watch this space!

The book, commissioned by HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal and sponsored by MBI Al Jaber, is composed of material originally gathered together for an exhibition in the grounds of Curzon House, home of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in London.

In addition to the more well-known figures such as H. St. John Philby and Wilfred Thesiger, the book also profiles the contributions to the study and recording of the early Kingdom of lesser-known explorers and travellers, including some formidable females. Beautiful early photographs and delicate watercolours form the illustrations for the book, which also includes excellent maps of the travellers’ journeys and short accounts of their visits to the peninsula.

The book is published by Stacey International. Anyone interested in purchasing the book can do so through their website.

The Scheme is part of a wider long-term programme started in 1981 to offer facilities to embattled academics (at that time in Central Europe). It was widened to Basra University, Iraq, in 2004 and to Mosul, Baghdad and Basra in 2005. It is based in Cambridge, where Colleges offer free board, lodging and logistical support and academics offer their help as mentors.

This year the Scheme also had support from the MBI Al Jaber Foundation for additional travel costs in widening links to other UK institutions to assist academics who for political and economic reasons have lacked access to academic contacts, research contacts and facilities, and up-to-date literature and other materials to update themselves and their research and teaching and to build and strengthen links with the UK.

We hope to see outcomes such as changes in teaching materials and methods in Iraq which will have an impact on research training and research programmes. We also hope to develop the possibility of post-doctoral visits and exchanges between the Iraqi institutions and Cambridge (and other HE institutions in the UK). In addition, Cambridge University and the Economics dept, Keele are collecting redundant books, periodicals and equipment which they now know can be of use to their Iraqi colleagues for shipment to Iraqi universities as soon as possible to assist them to restock looted facilities.

Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber is the Founder and Chairman of MBI International and patron of the MBI Al Jaber Foundation. A successful self-made businessman, he devotes much of his time to promoting education and democracy throughout the Arab world. In 2005 he was nominated as UNESCO Education, Tolerance, and Cultures to build Peace and Democracy Special Envoy.

The interview was introduced by Professor Malcolm Grant, President and Provost of UCL, who discussed MBI Al Jaber's life works in context of UCL’s global perspective.

Professor Michael Worton, UCL Vice-Provost (Academic & International) then led the interview with MBI Al Jaber with some searching questions about Middle East politics, education and culture.

MBI Al Jaber's positive and proactive stance was nowhere better reflected than in his views on educational reform in the Arab world. His work with UNESCO into this area aims for an updating of the curriculum and wide retraining of teaching staff to ensure that acquire the education that they need to compete on the global stage, ensuring that Arab nations are not held up by what he called an “illusion of wealth” – such as money from foreign aid or oil supplies – but by a true wealth embedded in the education and skills of the nation.

Q. What did you learn about yourself and others during the expedition?

The expedition was exciting and if anyone goes on it they will learn a lot about themselves, about how to be patient and about other people. Initially I was afraid of various things, but soon learnt that I was capable of dealing with most situations. I am now aware of and like nature more than before, can make good relationships with British people who often had the wrong information about my country. The best part of this expedition was sitting around the fire exchanging information about our cultures.
Abdullah Al Shalhoub, King Faisal School, Riyadh

I've discovered that I can live and travel in the Arctic, and have found out a lot about my stamina and that I am capable of going further than I thought. I've also learnt that I can easily make friends; something which I'm sure will be useful in later life. I've learnt about Saudi Arabian culture and Islam and that my new friends are some of the nicest people you could meet, and when push comes to shove they can do whatever they set their minds to.
Dickon Cole, Windlesham House School, West Sussex

I have learnt that I am capable of more than I thought. I can walk long distances, build shelters and have overcome things that frightened me. I have found out what my capabilities are, and the whole experience of sharing this adventure with other people has been of benefit to my body and mind, and has taught me the value of teamwork.
Sultan Al Qahtani, King Faisal School

That I take lot of things for granted at home! I have found that I can push myself further than I thought. I found the boys from Saudi Arabia fascinating, and admired how they adapted to the many things that they had never done before. The highlight of the trip was the visit to the glacier, and meeting people from a different culture.
Tommy Fitzalan Howard, Windlesham House School, West Sussex

The last two weeks have taught me many things. I was scared of many things, but now I am brave. I can really do anything if I want to, and can tolerate hunger and thirst. To anyone who is thinking about going on a connecting cultures expedition I would say go � it is exciting, it will change you and build your confidence. The best things I have learnt about are teamwork and the beauty of the Arctic.
Mohammed Al Saleh, Kingdom School Riyadh

I have found out that I can climb mountains and walk long distances with a rucksack, that I am able to sleep on rocks without tents, and have learnt how to build shelters from both wood and rocks. I met new people from different nationalities who taught me new things and who have become my friends. If they have the chance I would advise anyone to come on what is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Mohammed Al Rajhi, King Faisal School Riyadh

Chairman of the Court of Governors, Vice-Chancellor, fellow students, ladies and gentlemen,

May I first offer my sincere and humble thanks for the honour you have paid to me today, and I am sure that I speak for my fellow honorand, Sir Eric Richardson, in wishing the University and all who study and teach in it, every success in the future. Never has there been a greater need for study, sound learning and genuine understanding.

Westminster has long had a strong international tradition, and this has been demonstrated today by the awards to graduates from many countries. As the world becomes more complex and more inter-dependent, there is a risk that people will fall back on comfortable stereotypes, branding groups who are in some way different - by colour of their skin, religion or language - as good or bad, friend or enemy.

I am an Arab, proud of my traditions and history. The region I come from is much in the news, at the top of the international agenda and likely to stay that way for some time. Unfortunately, most of the news is bad, and I am saddened that so much focus should be on events that may well have occurred but are in no way representative. The information revolution has not yet led to a revolution in understanding.

As an Arab I have been conscious since my early years of the great contribution of Arab civilisation to learning - in Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus, Granada, right across the vast area that was the early Islamic Empire. This was a tolerant civilisation, where Moslems, Jews and Christians lived side by side; where Jewish scholars wrote in Arabic and where Christian craftsmen decorated beautiful mosques. Baghdad was known as the City of Peace.

Our travellers roamed all over the known world, a Moroccan - Ibn Battuta - reaching Beijing. Our greatest Political Scientist - Ibn Khaldoun from Tunis - described the threat of Big Government. Great advances were made in medicine, astronomy, mathematics, geography.

And we are a people that has always been proud to trade and do business. Indeed, our Prophet was himself a businessman and married the first business woman of Islam. We believe that business-people have a major role in society, creating jobs that give dignity to the worker, and paying back to society the benefits they have accumulated.

I am, as you have heard from the Vice-Chancellor, a businessman, with interests in three continents. But I am also a student, and it was the opportunity to study with scholars in London that first retained me here in London.

The reason is simple. If we do not know where we come from, we cannot understand where we are; and if we do not know where we are, we cannot know where we are going.

I have a passion to understand the origins of the current problems that we face. I need that understanding for my business, for the future of my family, and to satisfy my curiosity. And if I, a successful businessman, need to learn from those who have studied the evidence and scorned the propaganda; then how much more important is it that the politician, the diplomat, the journalist and the general public should be educated too. And so I have attempted to repay the teachers and make my contribution to a saner world by supporting educational reform, funding scholarships and assisting those who are willing to listen as well as speak.

People created today's problems - ignorant people, often fired up by information that is biased and usually plain wrong. And people can solve the problems. No danger is unavoidable, no problem too difficult to resolve. Who, twenty years ago would have believed it possible that the Soviet Empire would crumble, China achieve two-figure growth rates, or Northern Ireland fall quiet?

There is nothing unique about my part of the world. We Arabs, whether Moslem or Christian, and our neighbours in Israel are not a hopeless case. The Semitic peoples have been the greatest of travellers, a truly globalised people for hundreds of years. It is my conviction that with true knowledge, understanding and tolerance we can work together to bring about peaceful reform and progress, laying the foundations of a prosperous and peaceful environment for our people, and giving them the chance to enjoy the benefits that are accepted as normal here in the West.

Like you, I have made a major commitment to learn. I hope that as you now go out into the world entering your chosen professions and occupations, you will make a new commitment to keep studying - for the world changes at a dizzying pace - and to make your own contributions to a better world. DonÍt leave it all to the politicians. It is too easy to blame them. Whether as doctors, teachers, artists, journalists or - as in my case, in business - we all have important contributions to make. Westminster University has given you the best possible foundation for that endeavour.

This is your century, and I wish you every success.

As regional and world leaders meet at Sharm el-Sheikh, he feels fully vindicated in his early public support for the Coalition by the course of events since then. He said today, "The educational programmes we support, including this important programme at City University, are in line with our consistent and longstanding commitment to democracy and the regional peace process".

The new scholarship programme was announced at the Cass Business School launch on 7th May 2003 by David Rhind, Vice Chancellor of City University. It is designed to bring together some 20 Palestinian and Israeli students taking degrees in business, finance, law and other studies at the University. In addition, they will take part in a broad programme of cultural and social activities aimed to encourage dialogue and understanding.

MBI Al Jaber's pledge is part of the £1 million the scholarship programme has raised so far from two founding sponsors. Besides MBI Al Jaber, Mr Derek Tullett, Chairman of the international brokers Tullett Ltd and a long-time supporter of City University, has also pledged to fund the scholarship. MBI Al Jaber also recently donated in the region of £4 million to the Dar Al-Hekma Private College for Girls in Jeddah.

MBI Al Jaber is a well-known regional moderniser and businessman, and is committed to education as the key to progress and stability in the region. In February 2003, well before the war on Iraq, he wrote to Mr Bush, Mr Cheney, Mr Powell and Mr Blair in support of action against Iraq.

In a second letter to President Bush on March 25th when many doubted whether the US Administration had taken the right position, he wrote, "I am writing to you today, to re-affirm my admiration for your difficult but necessary decision to go to war. History will demonstrate how right you were in making that difficult choice .... all forward thinking Arabs know that change must be imposed if there is to be progress, freedom and stability in our part of the world."

MBI Al Jaber is patron of the MBI Al Jaber Foundation which offers scholarships to students from across the Arab world wishing to study for Master's degrees at partner institutions including SOAS in London, INSEAD in Paris, the American Universities in Cairo (AUC) and Beirut (AUB) and others.

In addition, the MBI Al Jaber Foundation supports a variety of academic and educational projects which promote better understanding between the peoples of the Middle East and the wider world, especially in Europe but also in the United States and elsewhere. Support for the peace initiatives in the region is a key concern of the Foundation.

Effat University is a leading private higher education institution for women situated in Jeddah, and is the living legacy of Queen Effat's vision for education. The university provides an interdisciplinary environment, conducive to research and life long learning. 

Under the new programme, scholarships will be offered to a number of outstanding Saudi nationals who wish to study an undergraduate degree at Effat University.  This is part of the MBI Al Jaber Foundation’s vision of the advancement of the education of women in the Arab world.  Students will be able to choose from the range of disciplines offered by the University, and on graduation the best students will be eligible to apply for the broader Foundation Masters’ Degree programme in the UK.  

For further information on Effat University: http://www.effatcollege.edu.sa/

Undergraduates from such institutions as the College of Tourism and Antiquities of King Saud University, the Prince Sultan College for Tourism and Administration in Abha, and the Prince Sultan College for Tourism and Administration in Jeddah are being encouraged to apply for MBI Al Jaber Foundation Scholarships to study for an MBA in Tourism Management, which is just one of the range of MODUL courses supported by the Foundation.

It is hoped that the collaboration will extend to granting undergraduate scholarships within the Kingdom in the area of tourism, giving support to the role of the tourism industry in building bridges between cultures.  

Dr Bruce Ingham of SOAS presented Mohamed for his degree and spoke as follows -

"Sheikh Mohamed's widespread business interests in the service sector and particularly in the leisure and resort industries, initially in Saudi Arabia and later as Chair of a world-wide concern, have brought him into contact with the community, and especially the younger generation, from a variety of countries.

These contacts have produced in him a keen desire to work for the benefit of the people of the Arab world particularly through strengthening human resources through education and cultural enrichment and to promote positive interaction between the Arab world and Europe."

For anyone interested in taking part in this worthwhile cause, please feel free to arrive on the day. Registration will take place at 1.00pm at Jubilee Gardens (next to the London Eye). The nearest tube station is Waterloo Underground Station, from here you can cross Westminster Bridge over to the South Bank where you will see Jubilee Gardens on the left. Please arrive at 1.00pm so that you can register, collect your Bridgathon goody bag/ t-shirt and meet other participants ready for a 1.30pm start.

For more information on this event or to sponsor Othman, please visit www.uclh.nhs.uk/nhdf or contact Othman directly via email on o.al-helli@ion.ucl.ac.uk.

MBI Al Jaber Foundation wishes the NHDF and all participants the best of luck!

We’ve posted a few excerpts from blogs on the conference and its panel sessions to share with our readers…  

Please feel free to email us at info@mbifoundation.com with any blogs, posts or articles.

SOAS Arab Media Conference

Tue, 03/17/2009 - 4:23am

As I sit in a Heathrow waiting lounge, a belated welcome to my friend Brian Katulis, who will be guest-posting from the UAE and Kuwait this week.  I've just finished a fascinating conference on the Arab media at SOAS, which was a particularly interesting experience after a few days at the Al-Jazeera forum. Khaled al-Shami, media columnist for al-Quds al-Arabi and more recently of the independent Egyptian al-Hewar TV, nicely captured one theme of debate with his remark that there is too much politics in the Arab media, and too much media in Arab politics.  Read more on Marc Lynch's blog here   

Arab Media Today @ SOAS

Published March 18, 2009 Egypt 

I am just back from a quick trip to London to speak at a conference organized by the London Middle East Institute, which is part of  SOAS.  Check out Marc Lynch’s roundup here.  My talk was an expansion of my article from the last Arab Media & Society on social media in the Gaza conflict.  I expanded it a bit to talk about the larger uptake of Facebook in the Arab world, particularly Egypt.  A few people have asked me for my paper (which I haven’t actually written yet) but I did clean up my presentation notes a bit. 

Read the notes and more on Friday in Cairo, a blog by Will Ward 

Blogging and social networking dominate conference on Arab media

By Susannah Tarbush

A ONE-day conference on new Arab media held in the Brunei Gallery of London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) last week gave the audience the opportunity of hearing from some of the leading bloggers in the Arab world in person.  

They included the Egyptian human rights activist Wael Abbas, who blogs at Misr Digital; Ali Abdulemam, described by the New York Times as Bahrain’s “most notorious blogger”, and Tunisian investigative journalist and human rights campaigner Olfa Jami. There were two Jordanian bloggers: Naseem Tarawneh, author of the “Black Iris” blog, and Mariam Abu Adas who started her “Driven by Curiosity” blog in 2004 when she was living in Saudi Arabia. Tarawneh was a co-founder of the Jordanian citizen media site 7iber.com which Abu Adas now runs. 

Titled “Arab Media Today: new audiences and new technologies”, the conference was organized by the London Middle East Institute (LMEI) at SOAS. It was supported by the Media Outreach Center of the U.S. Embassy in London and the MBI Foundation of Jeddah-based businessman and philanthropist Mohamed Bin Issa Al-Jaber. Read more on Susannah's blog the tanjara 

Cineforum brought women together from all walks of life & all cultures to advance the leadership of Muslim women in mainstream society for one day conference of interactive & inspirational exchange.   

The conference, held in the Royal Society of Art in London and organised by the Fair Knowledge organization, featured sessions paneled by world scholars, speakers, media professionals, mentors, spiritualists, human rights and political activists, educationalists, as well as diplomats.

The parallel sessions included films, workshops and mentoring sessions and were well attended by participants of all age groups, both Muslim and non-Muslim women as well as men. The audience interacted well with the panels and speakers on various topics such as women as peace builders, Muslim women in the media, British politics, positive presence and image, as well as the need for modern interpretation of the Quran to suit our times. 

As well as attending sessions and workshops, Suhad and Fahmia watched two of the films. The ‘’Bass Player’’, a short film exclusive to the conference, told the story a young Muslim girl named Salima and her journey into the music world along with all the challenges she faced from the society around her due to either stereotyping or Islamophobia. The film ‘’Pray the Devil Back to Hell’’ tells the story of the Liberian War and the remarkable role that the Liberian women played in ending the war and bringing peace to their country.  

The intensive day was finished by the magnificent Lebanese pianist and soprano Hiba Al Kawas who flew in from Abu Dhabi especially to participate in this significant forum.  She shared a musical film called ‘’Lady Light’’ and performed live, thrilling the audience, even those who didn’t understand the Arabic songs which brought some listeners to tears of nostalgia. 

For more information http://www.fairknowledge.co.uk/

The MBI Al Jaber Foundation is proud to welcome our new tranche of students to the UK. To welcome our new group, the scholars were invited to a reception at the MBI Al Jaber Foundation.

The focus for this year’s postgraduate scholarships has been the Yemen. The successful applicants, now in London to begin their courses, come from a variety of academic backgrounds including Medicine, English Language, Political Science and Economics, and have been accepted at some of the UK’s most prestigious universities including the London School of Economics and University College London.

MBI Al Jaber Foundation scholarship programmes in London include payment of course fees, travel, stipend and accomodation, and covers a twelve-month period.

MBI Al Jaber Foundation Scholars were treated to an evening at the Sahara Sounds concert at the Bloomsbury Theatre, UCL.

The concert, a fundraising event for the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, was part of a magical night as a room of the University was transformed into an old ‘Aladdin-style’ market filled with exotic ornaments for sale, Moroccan mint tea and Lebanese food, a henna tattoo artist, belly-dancing costumes and the sound of music by the man of the hour himself: Abdullah Chhadeh.  

The night started off with people enjoying the Souk. The room was buzzing with enthusiasm as everyone ate ethnic food, drank unfamiliar red-looking tea called Karkadeh, and tried on belly-dancing costumes, hats and jewellery. The night was running smoothly and then it was time to go into the theatre for the concert to begin.  

As we sat waiting for the concert to begin, we tried to picture what Abdullah would look like; then there he was, not at all what you would expect an Arabian musician to look like! He had a long ponytail, western clothes and a ‘bold’ sense of humour! As soon as his fingers hit the strings on the Qanun, an angelic sound filled the room - it felt like magic. Abdullah was talented and professional, playing in great harmony with his band members playing the cello, tableh, violin, accordion and triangle. Each look with their eyes at one another indicated a certain beat with their instruments.

The pieces Abdullah played were not only entertaining but also insightful, as he conveyed the message of peace, love and social life through his work with songs named after Gates in Damascus, Syria. For example, one song was called Bab Sharqi (Eastern Gate), and another Bab Alsalam (Peace Gate). Other songs were named after our feelings, such as Kaif, a song that spoke about our mood, how it changes and how it makes us feel. Abdullah said that he chose music to convey the message of peace and love because it is a universal language that everyone can understand.

Not only was the concert magical, it was remarkably amusing as well as Abdullah used humour to explain each song and involve the audience in small conversation. As he played he asked the attendants to sing along with him and his band, which created a warm, cosy and fun atmosphere. We can honestly say that the concert was a big success; but you don’t have to take our word for it, the audience showed their great appreciation with a standing ovation. 

In addition to outlining MBI Al Jaber's contribution to the city in the realm of business, including his famous hotels, Mr. Haeupl pointed out the numerous educational initiatives of MBI Al Jaber and his MBI Al Jaber Foundation, which contributes to a better understanding between people of the Middle East and the rest of the World, especially with Europe.

In Vienna, the Foundation supports Arab students to study at Modul University Vienna as part of its scholarship programmes, and MBI Al Jaber personally has also provided scholarships to young Austrian citizens of Vienna allowing them to study in the international atmosphere of MODUL.

The MBI Al Jaber Foundation is proud to be one of the major sponsors of this pioneering exhibition organised by Offscreen Education. Edge of Arabia features the work of 17 contemporary artists from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, male and female, who explore the complex and diverse identities of 21st century life in the Middle East through their art.  These artists are participating in the first comprehensive exhibition of contemporary Saudi art shown in the UK and a unique look inside contemporary culture in the Kingdom.

The issues addressed are as much personal or domestic as they are global. The artists have chosen not to focus on negative perceptions of the Middle East or artistic and intellectual clichés associated with the region and instead present a contemporary world view that is as unpredictable as it is beautiful.

Posters advertising the exhibition have been displayed in London Underground stations since the beginning of October. These posters, along with the distribution of leaflets and flyers, have provided publicity for the project to ensure a good and broad-based attendance throughout the exhibition.

Edge of Arabia will run from the 16th of October 2008 to the 13th of December 2008.

The exhibition opens to the public on Thursday, 16th October and an Education Day is being held on Saturday, 18th October, with  relevant schools, colleges and universities across the UK participating.

For further information and a complete showcase of the artworks, please visit http://www.edgeofarabia.com/

Some of Britain’s top writers – novelists, poets and children’s authors – were invited to the fair to take part in events with their Egyptian counterparts.

Unlike the book fairs in London or Frankfurt the Cairo Book Fair is open to the public and is one of the largest cultural events in the Middle East attracting over 1.5 million visitors.

This year the British Council delivered the UK Guest of Honour programme at the 41st Cairo International Book Fair with UK partners The London Book Fair, The Publishers Association (PA) and the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG).

There was a rich and varied programme of events spread over ten days celebrating the ‘full circle’ of the literature world from writers to publishers to readers which included:•55 speakers from both the UK and Egypt including acclaimed authors Anthony Horowitz, Dame Margaret Drabble and Ben Okri.

 •11 panel discussions, 14 Literary cafes, an evening of poetry readings, two musical performances and three days of crowd-gathering street theatre.

•A delegation of 20 top UK publishers who were able to build networks and have discussions with their Arab counterparts.

•A conference on encouraging young readers opened by First Lady Suzanne Mubarak and attended by 200 policy makers, librarians and teachers with representation from the National Literacy Trust, Reading Agency and Book Trust. 

The programme proved an enriching experience for both the local audience and the UK authors who helped deliver it.   

http://www.britishcouncil.org/egypt-arts-culture-cairo-book-fair-speakers.htm 

The MBI Al Jaber Foundation is proud to have been one of the major sponsors of the Edge of Arabia exhibition at its opening in the Brunei Gallery last year. Edge of Arabia features the work of 17 contemporary artists from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, male and female, who explore the complex and diverse identities of 21st century life in the Middle East through their art, and present a unique look inside contemporary culture in the Kingdom.

This will be the first time that artwork by Saudi artists is displayed at the Venice Biennale, a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place once every two years.   

From the 5th of June to the 2nd of August, the exhibition will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 6pm at the Palazzo Contarini dal Zaffo, next to the Accademia Vaporetto stop. Admission is free.

On June 5th, the private view, scheduled at 8pm, will be preceded by an informal press conference with artists and curators at 4pm.  

For a map and directions, please visit www.edgeofarabia.com/gallery-information/.

The exhibition is being organised by the award-winning Offscreen Education Programme.   For further details of the project, please visit www.edgeofarabia.com.

This Saturday the 13^th December, a special ‘End of Exhibition Christmas Gathering’ will be held at the Brunei Gallery from 10.30am to 5.30pm, to celebrate the success of the remarkable Edge of Arabia exhibition that brought to us eye-opening contemporary art from Saudi Arabia, which portrayed the country’s culture in a differing way to the one we typically see.  

The gathering will be hosted by the organisers, and the artists themselves, providing an excellent opportunity to meet them and to personally discuss their artwork and the ideas behind their creations.  This might be the end of this exhibition, but we hope to see similar exhibitions in the future, with artwork that reflects the way of life and culture in the Middle East, and the talent and inspirations of its artists.  

Everyone is welcome, please spread the word, and visit www.edgeofarabia.com for more information on the gallery and how to get there.   

Please also visit the Edge of Arabia shop online at http://edgeofarabia.myshopify.com/ to buy books, prints and more from the exhibition. 

The conference, held in SOAS, University of London, was organised by the London Middle East Institute, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in London and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. Various sessions were panelled by world scholars, speakers, human rights specialists and lawyers, educationalists, academics, Muslim Imams as well as diplomats.  

The day opened with a welcome from Prof. Paul Webley, Director & Principal of SOAS, an address by HE George Boomgaarden, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany and an address given by the Rt Hon. Hazel Blears MP, Secretary of Sate for Communities and Local Governments.

The sessions and presentations were well attended by participants from diverse age groups, ethnicities and professions; both Muslim and non-Muslim men and women. The audience interacted well with the panels and speakers on various topics.  “The German Experience: the ‘Islam Conference’ as a model for dialogue” looked at how mosque communities foster integration, the legal perspective of Islam in Germany and the specific role of German foreign policy in such integration.  The session on “The British Experience: engaging public institutions”, which addressed topics ranging from accommodating Muslims in Britain to the application of Sharia law in the UK and the engagement with Muslim communities, included the very interesting presentation “Chaplaincy: creating opportunities for successful integration of Muslims in public life”, by Dr. Sophie Gillian-Ray, founder of the Centre for the Study of Islam in the UK, whose research project is on Muslim chaplaincy in Britain.

The intensive day was finished by the “Panel Discussion: Enduring Controversies, Lessons Learnt” and concluded with a discussion of the need for a modern interpretation of the Quran to suit our times and more integration between immigrants and their new societies as well as the need for better understanding of cultural issues and more efforts from governments on the legal levels. The elimination of stereotyping is crucial to achieve successful integration. 

For more information www.lmei.soas.ac.uk

"E-TOURISM: INNOVATION AND GROWTH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES" 

The Journal of Information Technology and Tourism (JITT) Workshop Series, El Gouna, EGYPT, 15 December 2009

Endorsed and supported by MBI Al Jaber Foundation partner MODUL University 

SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS, WORKING PAPERS and FULL PAPERS

The Workshop is part of an on-going series of conferences focusing on e-Tourism. The Journal of Information Technology and Tourism (JITT) will consider top papers presented in the conference for publication. To encourage submissions, authors may submit full papers of 10-20 pages, working papers of about 10 pages and extended abstracts of three-four pages.

To encourage widespread dissemination of the proceedings and scholarly endeavours on e-Tourism in Africa and the Arab world, final accepted submissions will be freely available on the conference website. In addition, authors will hold full copyright privileges of their work. Submissions may be qualitative, quantitative, or conceptual, and may be works in progress.

All submissions, English and Arabic, will undergo a double-blind review by the scientific committee.

• Submissions of full papers, working papers and extended abstracts: 20 Sept, 2009 • Notification of Acceptance: 15 October 2009 • Final submissions: 15 November 2009

Submissions should include:

1. Title page including complete contact information of author(s): name, affiliation, postal address, phone, fax, email and website.

2. As a rule, submissions, particularly full papers, should include the following sections:

a. Introduction and Research Objectives b. Literature Review c. Methods d. Main Results e. Conclusions

3. Submissions should follow the JITT guidelines available at http://ojs.modul.ac.at/index.php/jitt/about/submissions

WORKSHOP REGISTRATION FEE: There is no fee for submitting manuscripts; the JITT Workshop costs US$100 for academics and US$75 for students.

For an additional US$250, Workshop registrants can enjoy the opening ceremony on the evening of 14 December, all conference activities on 15 December, two days with Half Board Accommodation (Breakfast and Dinner), and arrival/departure meet and assist from the Cairo airport. Details for The 2nd Annual Arab International Conference on eTourism and eMarketing are at http://ioeti.org/ioeticonference/.

If interested, workshop registrants with an accepted paper enjoy about a 25% discount – US$ 1150 (single room) or US$ 1300 (double room) – for the Arab International Conference on eTourism and eMarketing. This price includes the workshop, all conference activities, five days with Half Board Accommodation (Breakfast and Dinner), and arrival/departure meet and assist from the Cairo airport.

MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSION: Please label your submission as a Full Paper, Working Paper or Extended Abstract and email Arabic submissions to Professor Karl Wöber and English submissions to Professor Daniel Fesenmaier. For general questions in Arabic please contact Hanine Lakkis and Professor Jamie Murphy for questions in English.

The 2nd Annual Arab International Conference on eTourism and eMarketing:

The JITT Workshop will be in concert with the Arab International Conference on eTourism and eMarketing, held from December 14 – 18. This conference will educate and update the travel and tourism industry with sound eMarketing and eTourism strategies to improve sales and reduce expenses.

This boutique conference focuses on applying Internet technologies in tourism and hospitality, particularly in developing countries. The Arab world and Africa have the advantage of learning from and leapfrogging developed areas in the management and implementation of Internet technologies in hospitality and tourism. The conference aim is to share knowledge, experience and ideas that encourage and facilitate innovative and in-depth analysis of systems that enable scholars and practitioners, especially in Arab and African countries, to implement Internet technologies effectively.

The conference format will support in-depth discussion and collaboration, with separate tracks in Arabic and English. As such, each session will include extended presentations (20 – 30 minutes) and time for further discussion. In addition, participants should receive the final papers prior to the conference in order to support informed discussions. Papers, in Arabic or English, are invited on e- Tourism in general and especially in Africa and the Arab world. Conference topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Information search • Management information systems • Decision support systems • Revenue and yield management • Online marketing information systems • Forecasting systems • Online marketing research • B2B networks • Search and Web 2.0 • Search engine marketing • Mobile marketing • Tourism Portals • Destination marketing • eTourism technology • User technology adoption • Location based marketing • Search engines • Search engine optimization • Mobile search • User experience/User modeling • User generated content (text, photos, video) • Benchmarking • Program evaluation • Data mining

MODUL University, an MBI Al Jaber Foundation partner institution, has also contributed to international conferences and events such as the International Conference on sub-national tourism activity that was held last year. Along with the UNWTO, the European Travel Commission (ETC) and European Cities Marketing (ECM), MODUL also promoted a two-day event on tourism and strategic marketing planning in September of last year.

MODUL currently benefits from all the rights and obligations of affiliate membership, including participation in the activities of the UNWTO and promotion of its activities and events in the UNWTO newsletter and the international calendar.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO/OMT) is a specialized agency of the United ‎Nations and the leading international organization in the field of tourism. It serves as a ‎global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how.‎  UNWTO plays a central and decisive role in promoting the development of responsible, ‎sustainable and universally accessible tourism, paying particular attention to the ‎interests of developing countries.‎  The Organization encourages the implementation ‎of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, with a view to ensuring that member ‎countries, tourist destinations and businesses maximize the positive economic, ‎social and cultural effects of tourism and fully reap its benefits, while minimizing its ‎negative social and environmental impacts.‎  Its membership includes 160 countries and territories and more than 350 Affiliate ‎Members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations ‎and local tourism authorities.‎  Direct actions that strengthen and support the efforts of National Tourism ‎Administrations are carried out by UNWTO's regional representatives (Africa, the ‎Americas, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia) based at ‎the Headquarters in Madrid.‎  UNWTO is committed to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, geared ‎toward reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development.‎ http://www.unwto.org/aboutwto/index.php

For further information: http://www.modul.ac.at/2008-12-modul-university-vienna-accepted-affiliated-member-unwto

An excerpt from the section on SOAS donations highlighting our Chairman and the MBI Al Jaber Foundation in the report, A Degree of Influence: The funding of strategically important subjects in UK universities, is below.  

For more information and to download the full report, please visit The Centre for Social Cohesion website.

• SOAS donations as an example of good practice

Donations from the MBI Al Jaber Foundation and Mehraban Zartoshty serve as an example of how beneficial foreign funding can be for universities provided that clear safeguards are put in place and the donor receives no oversight over academic output. 

"The arrangements governing the donations by the MBI Al Jaber Foundation to SOAS in 2001 are an example of how foreign funding can be used to positively enhance education without threatening an institute’s academic integrity. Al Jaber donated money yet received no oversight as to how his money was to be used, nor any influence over any academic output. His donation appears to be purely a good will gesture to promote education. The relationship between the LMEI and SOAS is made fully clear in documents submitted by the LMEI to the Charity Commission. The LMEI’s Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 July 2007 say that:

The London Middle East Institute (LMEI) is governed by a Board of Trustees and chaired by Professor Paul Webley, the Director and Principal of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and including three representatives from the academic staff of SOAS, one each from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the University of London and the British Academy, and two members who have relevant business/professional interests. The Articles of Association for the LMEI require that the SOAS members of the Board be elected by SOAS academic members of the LMEI… The LMEI was developed from the specialist regional expertise of SOAS and continues to draw on a number of its resources. The charity is however administratively and organisationally independent. Membership oversight and representation is secured through an annual general meeting of the SOAS academic members of the LMEI and its Research Associates of whom there are 10… The LMEI’s core professional employees worked closely with a large number of volunteers who staff its Advisory Council and the Editorial Board of the Middle East in London magazine. The Advisory Council meets 3 times per year, in the same week as the Board of Trustees meeting. It helps to implement recommendations made by that Board as well as advising on programmes and fund-raising initiatives. The Editorial Board continues to oversee all aspects of the production of the magazine. Over 80 individuals drawn from academia, government, the professions, business, the media and communities with Middle Eastern links were directly involved in the operations of the LMEI.

This arrangement makes clear that the donor has no ability to influence the composition of the LMEI’s board of trustees, and it also proves multiple levels of oversight through its independent advisory council and through SOAS itself.  In addition, there is evidence that SOAS’s governing body has also discussed the implications of the creation of the LMEI and ways to ensure that its creation would have no negative consequences for SOAS. During the meeting of the SOAS governing body on 12 December 2003, the possible effects that the LMEI could have on SOAS’s reputation were discussed. The minutes report that the governing body were told that any such risk was

minimised by having the Director and Principal [of SOAS] as Chair of the Board and four SOAS staff in total as members of the Board. Members noted… that the LMEI could appoint academic staff on a part-time fixed term basis but that all appointment procedures for academic staff were in line with SOAS appointment procedures.

Membership oversight and representation is secured through an annual general meeting. After founding the LMEI, Al Jaber became Vice Chairman of the International Advisory Board of SOAS. When the creation of the board was announced in the SOAS Annual Review 2003-2004, the then Director and Principal of SOAS Colin Bundy stated ‘the School looks forward to the collective counsel of its distinguished members in the years to come’.

Yet despite Al Jaber’s close personal involvement with both SOAS and the LMEI, there is no evidence that he has sought to influence the academic output or activities of either institution or to promote his political opinions or to influence government policies – and indeed the international advisory board gives him no direct role in the running of SOAS."

Simcox, Robin. A Degree of Influence: The funding of strategically important subjects in UK universities. The Centre for Social Cohesion, 2009. Pgs. 86-88.

The course surveys the art and architecture of Medieval Islam from the era of the Prophet Mohammed in the 7th century AD to the beginning of the 16th century. It includes the artistic achievements of the major dynasties from the Ummayads to the Mamluks with a geographical spread from Spain to India. Museum visits will be included.

For more information see this pdf, or check the Morley College website:

The talk, which will be in the form of a conversation with Vice-Provost Professor Michael Worton returns to some of the topics previously addressed in March 2006 when MBI Al Jaber spoke on ‘Educational Reform and the Culture of Democracy in the Arab World’.  

‘Education, Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy in the 21st Century’ takes place on Thursday 22 October 2009 in Room 106 Roberts Building, UCL at 7 pm and will be followed by a reception.

Those interested in attending should contact our Conference Organiser, Ms. Suhad Jarrar-Browne, at events@mbifoundation.com by 9th October 2009.

While the development of on-line media in the Arab world has been slower than elsewhere, websites, on-line forums, and blogs are becoming increasingly significant.  

Speakers and panellists will include academics, journalists, media professionals, bloggers and other Arab media-watchers. 

The conference will be divided into three sessions, each devoted to a specific broad area, which will be introduced and moderated by a specialist in the field, and include presentations of relevant information and analysis, followed by interactive debate.  

The Arab Media Today: new audiences and new technologies  

9.00am-5.00pm, Monday 16^th March 2009 

Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, Brunei Gallery, SOAS  

Admission Free – All Welcome  

Pre-registration Required: Tel. No. 020 7898 4330; E-mail: lh2@soas.ac.uk 

A full programme will be available at: http://www.lmei.soas.ac.uk/home/index.cfm?navid=6.  

Please direct any queries to Louise Hosking, Executive Officer, at: lh2@soas.ac.uk

Peter Jones is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and former Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, University of Edinburgh. He is the first researcher to have had full access to the vast private Arup archives, and is the author of the first biography of Ove Arup. In July 2009 UCL signed an agreement with global firm Ove Arup to boost collaboration and training in a number of fields including design, engineering and sustainable development.   

Due to the current state of the economy, there was much discussion at the conference about the role of women in the banking sector.  After the sudden hit to the world economy, it was suggested that women can be as good or even better in making sensible hard decisions in senior positions in corporations, partly because research has noted that women tend not to make fast irrational decisions but rather tend to make decisions which are circumspect and calculated.  

The conference was full of inspirational women: some who have broken barriers in their field and some who have helped women find their skill and then encouraged them to enter the workforce.  

Princess Loulwa Al -Faisal Bin Abdulaziz gave a motivational speech addressing the situation in Saudi Arabia for women entering into entrepreneurialism. She avowed that women have the necessary skills and knowledge to start their own business and be as equally qualified as men in the workplace despite cultural boundaries that still exist. Reform in the law now allows women to have businesses under their own name and open bank accounts but more needs to be done. There are still banks and companies that refuse to work with women unless they have are accompanied by a man to do the work on their behalf. Therefore, she concluded that it will take time for society in Saudi Arabia to understand, accept, acknowledge and allow women to be part of the entrepreneurial workforce. 

Nasreen Fatema Awal, a managing director in Bangladesh, is one of the first and only women to hold this position in her country. Despite all the resistance she faced, she achieved her ambition which is an inspiration for all women to work harder to achieve their goals and to not let any obstacles stand in their way. 

PR guru Lynne Franks is the founder of Seed, an organization that helps women work and live by the feminine principles of sustainable co-operation and mutual in a male dominated workplace.  She organizes workshops for women to inspire and encourage them to take that first step in achieving their goals and aspirations.   

The Forum concluded with the hope that with the investment that is being put into women’s entrepreneurship and through open dialogue and communal support, there will continue to be change for the better in the role of women in the workforce worldwide.  

The Roundtable, which looked at restructuring relations between the Western and Islamic Countries was co-hosted by Strategic Foresight Group and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, in cooperation with the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung and was endorsed by the League of Arab States.

Over two days, government ministers and officials from NGO’s across the world discussed such issues as the institution of a semi-permanent conference on the Middle East Peace, the creation of a Dialogue and Engagement Initiative in which a group of Western and Islamic leaders pursue specific conceptual and practical issues for building confidence between Western and Islamic countries, and an Arab and Islamic Renaissance Initiative.

This honour is in recognition of his services to higher education in the UK in general and to Corpus Christi in particular including the major donation to the new auditorium at the College named the MBI Al Jaber Building.

The Fellowship will be conferred at a ceremony which also marks the official opening of the MBI Al Jaber Building, on 23rd October 2009.  The citation, read by the Right Honourable Lord Patton of Barnes, follows:

“Sheikh Mohamed bin Issa al Jaber, whom I now present for admission to an Honorary Fellowship, is a highly successful businessman who has shared the fruits of his labours to promote peace and understanding between the peoples of the Middle East and to advance learning and research in relation to the Middle East at the highest level in the United Kingdom and in other countries. Through his expertise and entrepreneurship he has built up a world-wide chain of hotels, which includes some famous establishments.

He has helped to provide vision and leadership among young Arabs by providing scholarships for them to study at the School of Oriental and African Studies and other institutions of higher learning in London and has been a benefactor to University College London. Sheikh Mohamed has established The Olive Tree scholarship scheme at City University to encourage mutual understanding and to create a community of graduates committed to the pursuit of human rights and economic welfare.

It is for his support for Corpus Christi College that we especially honour Sheikh Mohamed today.  He has made possible the construction of the most important building to be constructed on the main site in three hundred years, the MBI al Jaber Building.
I present a man of the highest distinction in business and educational philanthropy.

Admission by the President
You are at once a humane supporter of education and a promoter of peace and understanding. Your services to Corpus Christi College are of the highest distinction. Acting on my own authority and that of the College, I admit you to its roll of honorary fellows.”

Other Honorary Fellows of this ancient college include illustrious persons from all walks of life such as the novelist Vikram Seth and the statesman William Waldegrave. World famous tenor, Dr. Ian Bostridge, is also an Honorary Fellow of Corpus and will give a recital at the opening ceremony.

Photo by Simon Chapman Photography

http://www.ccc.ox.ac.uk/p/Emeritus-Honorary-and-Foundation-Fellows/

Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber, in conversation with Professor Michael Worton, Vice-Provost of UCL, discussed a wide range of subjects, from philosophical, economic and personal perspectives. Topics included social responsibility as the motivation for philanthropy, the power of literature and the MBI sponsored Kitab fi Jarida programme, the general encouragment of the human philanthropic impulse, the paramount need for transparency rather than mere regulation of financial institutions in the present economic climate, and the MBI Al Jaber's view of the role of calculated risk-taking for young entrepreneurs in business. He made very clear the close connections between all of this and his own daily business life and personal outlook.

During the conversation, Professor Worton cited the recent report by the Centre for Social Cohesion ‘A degree of Influence’ praising MBI Al Jaber as an example of best practice, as his MBI Al Jaber Foundation donates to universities without conditions and not to promote any personal or business agendas. MBI Al Jaber commented further on this by emphasising that his motivation stems from a sense of responsibility towards elevating educational levels in the Arab world as a key issue towards development and peace, as well as bridging the gap with the rest of the world.

During the reception which followed, courtesy of UCL, MBI Al Jaber gave sufficient time for every single guest who approached him to discuss the subjects raised earlier and also other topics of interest.  The lecture and reception were attended by MBI Alumni and staff, UCL students and staff, other UK universities students and staff, and representatives of diplomatic missions in London.

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0911/09110402

* Please apply to Connecting Cultures directly with the application form below, and please direct all queries to Connecting Cultures. 

Established in London in 2004, Connecting Cultures is recognised by the United Nations Alliance of Civilisations as one of the worlds leading innovative civic society projects addressing the issue of intercultural dialogue between young people. Endorsed by UNESCO in Paris and Doha, and working in close partnership with the Ministry of Education in Oman, Connecting Cultures takes groups of young people from the western and Arab world on intensive, five day journeys into the desert of Oman.  The aim of Connecting Cultures is to promote face to face intercultural dialogue between young people from the western and Arab world; to breakdown cultural stereotypes and misunderstanding.  In an environment where mobile phones do not work, the young people are able to engage in undisturbed face to face dialogue, identifying shared values and exploring cultural differences.  

The next Connecting Cultures journey will take place in Oman in December 14th-18th 2010.   

A team of 18 young women from Euro-Arab nations, complete strangers, will come together for 5 days roughing it in the beautiful Oman desert. Exciting, educational, enriching. Discussions on cultural differences, similarities, values and aspirations. Trekking by foot and camel, freezing nights, sweltering days, real adventure and real dialogue, and the world benefits the most; these women go home enriched, with a new perspective of themselves, the world and the future they’ll create.   

Schools globally can become engaged in the journey and desert debates by following their preparations and journey via the education section of the website. Teachers can engage their classes in global citizenship issues using the on-line lesson plans and resources, soon to be available on the website in both English and Arabic.   

A second trip for young men is being scheduled for 2011.
 
Connecting Cultures is currently seeking representatives from the Arab region and from the Euro zone. 

The ideal applicant will be someone who: 

• Is able to speak good English or Arabic - communication is the cornerstone of Connecting Cultures
• Is aged between 17-25 in December 2010
• Would be a good ambassador for their country
• Is physically fit, and mentally determined
• Has an interest in current/international affairs
• Shows leadership potential and is likely to lead others in the future; is a potential future opinion former.

* Please find the application form below.  The deadline to receive applications from young women is August 23rd 2010, and for young men the end of September.  Please apply to Connecting Cultures directly, and please refer all queries to the email as below. 

If you would like more information, please visit the website at www.connectingcultures.co.uk or contact Founder Mark Evans via email at info@connectingcultures.co.uk.       

The MBI Al Jaber Foundation is the main sponsor of Connecting Cultures.    

We wish them the very best of luck and we look forward to hearing about their future endeavours!   

MODUL University Vienna is an internationally oriented organization for research and education in tourism, new media technology and public governance.