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In Our Community

An important part of QFI's work focuses on global citizenship. Developing a culture of compassion, service and innovation through community engagement and volunteering is integral to its progress.  To this end, QFI supports local organizations who provide educational and other opportunities that will make an impact in the communities we serve. Our partners are committed to empowering their local community and closing the opportunity gap by providing access to educational resources and building local capacity.

Volunteerism, community engagement and service are values which lie at the foundation to our programmatic work and they also drive our culture as an organization. QFI staff regularly coordinate Service Days and commit our words to action by volunteering at charities and food banks in the Washington, D.C. area.

In this section, we highlight the important community development work of our partners and also the local charities and organizations with which we engage on our Service Days. Everyone can contribute their time, skills and knowledge through volunteering, and their combined efforts can be a significant force for positive change on both the local and global levels. Take action today!

Closing the College Gap

Qatar Foundation International is sponsoring the Collegiate Directions Annual Spring Benefit this May 2012. Collegiate Directions, Inc. (CDI) is a non-profit organization committed to closing the education, achievement and opportunity gap for low-income, primarily first-generation-to-college students and they do a lot of work in the Washington Metropolitan area. Nina Marks, President of CDI and founder of Marks Education, recently led a college counseling workshop for our Qatari and Brazilian students in Qatar this January. QFI organized the event as part of our Youth Allied to Learn, Lead and Help (YALLAH) program.

Learn More about CDI

Capital Area Food Bank

A core part of our mission at QFI is volunteerism and giving back to our community. In its ongoing support for the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB), QFI volunteers by loading and packing canned goods at their Washington, D.C. warehouse that will be distributed to underserved communities. CAFB is the largest, nonprofit hunger and nutrition education resource in the Washington Metropolitan area. They work to educate, empower and enlighten the community about the issues of hunger and nutrition. Their community-building initiatives, including Kids Cafe, Face Hunger, From the Ground Up, Produce for People, and the Brown Bag Program, educate the community about the importance of healthy diets and advocate for public policies that serve the interests of their constituencies.
 

Learn More about CAFB

Videos

The Road to Doha

QFI's Road to Doha program helped train and bring together youth from Qatar, the U.S., Brazil and Argentina to better understand and develop solutions to critical global issues and to more effectively raise environmental awareness.

The Future We Want

In June 2012, Youth Ambassadors for Science and the Environment traveled to Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Caravelas and Abrohlos National Marine Park before heading to Rio+20 Earth Summit.

YALLAH: Commit to Action, Minnesota

QFI selected 36 students from Brazil, Qatar and the U.S. to participate in the National Service-Learning Conference held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Madeleine Albright Visits Lindblom

On April 10, 2012, Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited QFI's partner school, Lindblom Math and Science Academy.

Concordia Language Villages

In summer of 2011, QFI established a partnership with Concordia Language Villages. 31 youth from 20 different schools attended 2 or 4-week sessions at Al Waha, the Arabic Language Village.

QFI / WeVideo Behind the Scenes

The video that launched SXSW Film, highlighting QFI student filmmakers who collaborated on short water films.

QFI Celebrates Foreign Language Week

QFI's Executive Director speaks about the importance of learning another language.

BtoQ Compilation Video

Check out all five "Brazil to Qatar" National Geographic student videos in one compilation.

"Women" during the BtoQ Exchange

Brazilian and Qatari students worked with National Geographic instructors during the Brazil to Qatar exchange to create a short piece on women.

"People and Nature" during the BtoQ Exchange

Brazilian and Qatari students worked with National Geographic instructors during the Brazil to Qatar exchange to create a short piece on people and nature.

Behind the Scenes at Brazil to Qatar: One World, Many Stories

A behind the scenes look at the #BtoQ exchange program that brought 22 high school students from Brazil to meet their counterparts in Qatar.

From Chicago to Doha: Connecting Cultures, Exploring Science

Learn about students from Chicago's Lindblom Math and Science Academy who went on QFI's exchange trip to Qatar.

Chicago2Doha Media Projects

39 students from 3 schools in Chicago and Qatar came together for the Connecting Cultures, Exploring Science trip. Students told their reflections of the trip through images, video and sound.

Glass Blowing at Chihuly's Studio: YALLAH 2011

QFI students in Seattle as part of the YALLAH cultural exchange trip in 2011 were invited to world-renowned glass blower Dale Chihuly's studio.

Sir Richard Branson speaks to Earth Day Qatar 2011

Earth Day Qatar 2011 was the premier event in the region, featuring speakers, discussions, workshops, and a special video message by Sir Richard Branson.

Meet our Brazilian students

Arabic Language and Culture in Sao Paolo - meet the Brazilian students and administrators of this program.

Crossing the divide

Watch as students from QFI partner schools in Washington DC and Boston tell their story of language learning and cultural exchange.

Our mission and the astrolabe

With its rich and varied history, the Astrolabe represents education, science, innovation and diversity. Highlighted in this video, these values underscore QFI's vision and programs.

QFI News

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