The Education Above All Foundation (EAA) and the General Directorate of Endowments (Awqaf) hosted a celebratory Iftar for the beneficiaries of the Qatar Scholarship programme.
The event was marked by the introduction of over 100 new scholarship recipients, the commendation of 36 remarkable graduates, and the celebration of 57 students for their academic excellence during the 2023-24 academic year.
The dignitaries included the General Directorate of Endowments director-general Dr Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed al-Thani, EAA CEO Fahad al-Sulaiti, Palestine's deputy minister of education Basri Saleh and Qatar Foundation's (QF) higher education president Dr Francisco Marmolejo.
The event drew over 300 attendees, including students and their families, faculty from partner universities such as Qatar University, QF Universities, Oryx Universal College in collaboration with Liverpool, John Moores University, Qatar Finance and Business Academy in partnership with Northumbria University, Lusail University, Al Rayyan International University in partnership with the University of Derby and the Global Studies Institute in partnership with Arkansas State University. Additionally, dignitaries from the embassies of Yemen, Palestine, Pakistan, India and Lebanon graced the occasion.
The Qatar Scholarship Programme in Qatar aims to provide youth aged 17 to 25, who have spent most of their formative years in Qatar, with access to higher education. It is a needs-based scholarship offered by EAA Foundation, through its Al Fakhoora programme, to deserving expatriate youth in Qatar. Recipients are supported to attend distinguished universities in the country. EAA also collaborates with Silatech to link graduates to employment, ensuring a smooth transition into their professional lives.
Dr Sheikh Khalid welcomed the new recruits and congratulated the graduates and top achievers. He highlighted the significant role that the endowment plays in various aspects of life, including religious, educational, health, family, and social spheres. He urged the students to be ambassadors of knowledge and endowment and to remember the honourable benefactors in their prayers during this holy month.
Talal al-Hothal, director of the programme, remarked: “Through our collective efforts, EAA empowers countless youths across the globe, championing their right to a robust and secure education. This event not only celebrates our dedication but also cements our commitment to fostering a bright future for Qatar's emerging visionaries and innovators. Our gratitude extends to Awqaf for their invaluable partnership, and to our esteemed university partners which enables us to offer transformative educational paths to worthy young individuals, thereby enriching their lives and fortifying the pillars of our society.”
Since its inception in 2018, the Qatar Scholarship programme in Qatar has provided more than 210 scholarships for youth in Qatar, and aims to provide a total of 500 scholarships by the academic year 2025-2026.
Winners of the Qatar Scholarship programme with guests and officials. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam
Dignitaries at the event. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam