Qatar Foundation Vice President Appointed Young Global Leader

Doha, March 19 (QNA) - HE Vice President, Education, Qatar Foundation, Dr Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani has been named a 2011 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
He is one of 13 individuals chosen from the Middle East and North Africa region, with a total of 190 selected worldwide from a pool of almost 5,000 nominations. He is the only person chosen from Qatar.
WEF is best known for its annual summit in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos which brings together top business leaders, international political leaders, selected intellectuals and journalists to discuss the most pressing issues facing the world.
Every year since 2004 WEF has recognized outstanding leaders under 40 years of age for their "professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential for shaping the future," according to the announcement of this year s Young Global Leaders.
The 2011 cohort will become part of a broader Forum of Young Global Leaders currently comprising 668 individuals worldwide. At an annual summit in September in the Chinese city of Dalian, they will seek ways to contribute to initiatives of the WEF, launch events of their own and establish task forces to address critical world issues.
Vice Chairperson, Qatar Foundation, Dr Saif Al-Hajari, said: "I congratulate Dr Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani on this well-deserved recognition. He is an example to all young Qataris that they can stand among the world s highest achievers if they strive consistently to fulfill their potential."
In response to the announcement, Dr Sheikh Abdulla Al-Thani said: "I am honoured and humbled to be acknowledged in this way. The Young Global Leaders are known for introducing innovative initiatives in many areas. I look forward to being a part of their global collaboration network."
WEF founder and Executive Chairman Professor Klaus Schwab stated: "In 2004 I created the foremost platform for young leaders to engage in global affairs to shape a more positive, peaceful and prosperous society. Within the World Economic Forum community, the Young Global Leaders represent the voice for the future and the hopes of the next generation."
Dr Al-Thani has been Vice President, Education, at Qatar Foundation since 2005 where he is leading the evolution of an international consortium of elite universities into an integrated centre of academic excellence. He is also Chairman of the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), the premier forum for developing and spreading innovative practice in education across the globe.
A strong advocate of improving educational standards, in September 2010 Dr Al-Thani co-organized a Ministerial Colloquium on Quality of Education in the Arab World, as a consequence of which 17 Arab states committed to a common evaluation system of basic education.
In October 2010 he co-chaired a special session on education at the WEF Middle East and North Africa Summit in Marrakesh, Morocco.
Dr Al-Thani is a board member of the Qatar Leadership Centre, an initiative of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Heir Apparent of the State of Qatar. He is also a board member of Qatar s Nakilat, which owns the world s largest fleet of liquefied natural gas carriers. He serves on the Executive Council of the World Digital Library at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, and on the governing board of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning in Hamburg. Dr Al-Thani heads the project to build Qatar Foundation s Central Library which will house one of the largest collections in the Arab world.
Dr Al-Thani also serves on the Board of Trustees of Qatar University and is a member of the Supreme Education Council which oversees reform at the K-12 level in Qatar. (QNA)