1,000 Global Leaders to Attend the First Ever World Innovation Summit for Education

1,000 Global Leaders to Attend the First Ever World Innovation Summit for
Education

WISE 2009 - Doha, Qatar, November 16th-18th

Global Education: Working Together for Sustainable Achievements

NEW YORK, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- 1,000 leading opinion leaders,
decision-makers and academics from diverse sectors in over 120 countries will
participate in the first ever global summit dedicated to monitoring the 21st
century's challenges on education: WISE (World Innovation Summit for
Education). This pioneering idea, initiated by the Qatar Foundation under the
patronage of its Chairperson, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al
Missned, will take place in Doha, Qatar on November 16th-18th, 2009.

During three days, WISE will endeavour to bring together multi-disciplinary
thinking that will enable a global educational network to think differently,
implement change and collectively meet the many educational challenges facing
us. In this inaugural year, the central theme of the summit will focus on
"Global Education: Working Together for Sustainable Achievements", which will
be complemented by sub-themes of Pluralism, Sustainability and Innovation.

"Education systems have been frustratingly slow to adapt and respond in an
integrated and coordinated way, despite extraordinary advancements in how we
as individuals interact with each other and the world," explains Dr. Abdulla
bin Ali Al-Thani, Chairman of WISE and Vice President of Education, Qatar
Foundation. "WISE first edition will bring together 1,000 world leaders to
explore, experiment and establish new ways to anticipate and provide the
educational evolutions, competences and patterns of tomorrow. It is critical
that graduates from the next generation are equipped to think beyond their
borders, and to meaningfully compete, connect, and cooperate with their peers
on a global scale," Dr. Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani added.

Through a comprehensive program schedule that includes plenary and break out
sessions, participants will share and generate new ideas, best practices and
experimental programs across the educational sphere. Program available on
www.wise-qatar.org

Qatar Foundation has sent this week first WISE invitations to international
influential leaders (academics, international institutions, NGO associations,
grassroots movements, private sector, top tier media influencers, multimedia,
arts, culture and other creative communities) with stakes in education.

ABOUT WISE
WISE (World Innovation Summit for Education) is a global, groundbreaking,
collaborative initiative established by the Qatar Foundation under the high
patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned that seeks to
monitor and contribute to 21st century challenges and their impact on
education. With 1,000 major education stakeholders, opinion leaders and
decision-makers from diverse disciplines in over 120 countries participating,
WISE endeavours to propose visionary thinking on education, offer new ways of
addressing current global challenges and untapped opportunities and anticipate
future education models. The WISE Forum takes place in Doha, Qatar, from
November 16th to 18th, 2009. Web: www.wise-qatar.org

ABOUT QATAR FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Qatar Foundation, located in Doha, Qatar, is an independent, private,
non-profit, chartered organization founded in 1995 by decree of His Highness
Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, to support
centers of excellence which develop people's abilities through investments in
human capital, innovative technology, state of the art facilities and
partnerships with elite organizations, thus raising the competency of people
and the quality of life. Web: www.qf.org.qa

SOURCE Qatar Foundation

Steve Naru of Fleishman-Hillard, +1-212-453-2228, or mobile, +1-646-369-8243,
steve.naru@fleishman.com, for Qatar Foundation