Washington: The US-based Qatar Foundation International (QFI) will move its headquarters to Doha as part of a restructuring plan to expand the global reach of Arabic language and culture.
Maggie Mitchell Salem, QFI Executive Director, said, “We will restructure the organisation to become more global in our reach. Our headquarters will move to Doha where our parent organisation, Qatar Foundation, is based and QFI’s Washington, DC office will focus on existing programmes from our current location.” The non-profit QFI gives grants and promotes education to facilitate collaborations across geographical, social and cultural boundaries.
The group, celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, is involved in connecting cultures and advancing global citizenship through education and aims to expand its Arabic Language and Culture (ALC) programme. “Five years of cultivating a global citizenry through programmes that engage, excite and inspire youth around the world,” Salem said.
“As of July 1, we will expand the programme to serve heritage and native speakers in addition to our offerings for foreign language learners. This means spreading Arabic language and culture to all corners of the world.”
QFI has expanded beyond the Americas, she said. “In 2011 and 2012, it provided assistance to British Council and Qatar Foundation for the launch of an Arabic language and culture programme in the UK as part of Qatar-UK Year of Culture.”
Based on the success, the headquarters in Doha, under QFI-DC’s guidance, will be leading the effort towards global expansion of the programme. In our five years of operation, we have established models that work and a very strong network of educators, advisers, professionals and partners. The QFI headquarters will use our experience as a template for other parts of the world, she said. QNA
