Yousuf Al Kuwari, CEO of Qatar Charity (QC) welcomed the first official visit of British Ambassador Jonathan Wilks to Qatar Charity, noting, “The United Kingdom has a centuries-long history of charitable giving and a long-established base of charities that work tirelessly to bring about positive change across the globe.”
He added that Qatar Charity has built a solid foundation for lasting partnerships with UK-based entities like the Start Network and its member organizations, as well as Refinitiv, the largest provider of risk management solutions with whom Qatar Charity jointly developed a comprehensive governance system fully adapted to the work of international NGOs.
Speaking of pressing global challenges, both parties referred to the eroding rights of children, particularly girls, in having access to education and protection. In this regard, Wilks and Al Kuwari agreed on the forthcoming discussions on potential partnerships to strengthen action on child protection.
Examining further development issues, Wilks brought attention to the upcoming World Cup in Qatar being potentially a powerful platform to galvanize support and mobilize resources for a variety of issues of common interest. Al Kuwari agreed that the global event could provide unprecedented momentum to advance the use of sports as a tool to promote peace and development, one of Qatar Charity’s hallmark programs in post-conflict settings.
Both also expressed interest in engaging the British expatriate community in community activities within Qatar, with local volunteering programs intended for English speaking expatriates soon being announced.
Speaking of his visit, the ambassador said, “I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Qatar Charity. I was impressed with Qatar Charity’s wide range of activities across the world and their use of technology to monitor and control income and expenditure. We exchanged ideas on future co-operation, including related to the World Cup. I look forward to building on this first visit in the years to come.”