HSBC sends two Qatari girls to explore UK Tuesday, 06 July 2010 02:03

Two Qatari students were recently selected by the board of HSBC to join the bank’s Offscreen Expedition

in 2010.

The two girls: 17-year-old Reem Al Dosari from Amna Bint Wahab School and 18-year-old Sarah

Al Derham from Qatar Educational Complex, are due to spend two weeks in the United Kingdom to explore life there and learn important leadership and dialogue skills along with other students from Jordan and Kuwait.

Launched three years ago, HSBC’s Offscreen Expedition has developed an award-winning collaboration between HSBC Bank Middle East, the British Council, and the London-based Offscreen Expeditions, which was founded in 2006 to forge creative links and cultural understanding between the UK and the Middle East.

Reem and Sarah will tour the UK in July this year, creating a visual travelogue of their experiences and impressions as well as collaborating on projects with British museums, galleries, and creative and social enterprises.

HSBC Corporate Sustainability Regional Head Kaltham Al Koheji said his bank looked for aspiring young leaders who had the ability to communicate cross-cultural understanding through the power of art, film, photography or writing.

“HSBC is investing in the creative potential of the new generation and this initiative gives them this chance to develop their skills and follow their dreams,” he added.

British Council Qatar Director Simon Winetroube expressed confidence in the ability of the two girls to make friends in the UK as a result of their experience.

“They’ll also create web content which will allow many more young people from Qatar to connect with and understand the UK,” Winetroube said. “They’ll be wonderful ambassadors for Qatar,” he added.

The Peninsula