Workshop on health and the environment to be held at Education City

The workshop will be held at Education City in Doha from 23-25 March.

Leaders in public health and education of nurses from nearly 12 Arab countries along with experts from North America and Europe will be at the workshop to discuss and share their experiences.

Over the course of the three days of meetings, the participants will prepare recommendations for further research and share methods of resolving health care problems and challenges that face the countries in this region.

Commenting on the importance of this workshop, Dr Abdelali Haoudi Qatar Foundation Vice President-Research stated:

"There is a clear correlation between emerging health care issues and current environmental challenges. New epidemics associated with climatic change require creative preventative approaches and innovative therapy applications. Through organizing this workshop, Qatar Foundation gives the opportunity for local and regional health professionals to benefit from the expertise of developed countries in finding ways to overcome obstacles that are specific to our region".

The idea of the workshop was initiated after a symposium on health during a FAST Conference in Panama in March 2007, which addressed progress toward achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, adopted by the UN member states in 2000.

These are eight human development goals for nations to achieve by 2015. The outcomes of this workshop will advance governmental and institutional efforts to fulfill Millennium Development Goals that relate to disease, infant mortality, maternal health and environmental sustainability.

The agenda for the workshop features plenary sessions and working groups discussing educational issues of special importance to Arab countries such as regional collaboration in education and certification and implementing new environmental standards in hospital settings.

Qatar Foundation has been involved in several regional efforts aiming to improve education, health care and scientific research.

Few weeks before the workshop, Qatar Foundation co-organized a meeting that involved ministers of education in the Arab World and the Director General of UNESCO, Koichiro Maatsura.

The participants examined ways to elevate standards of education in Arab countries and emphasized on cooperation with neighboring states and international organizations to contribute to accessibility of quality education for all.

The Fulbright Academy of Science & Technology is an international body established by alumni of the prestigious Fulbright exchange program. A relatively new organization, FAST has individual and institutional members in over 50 countries.

In February 2008, it received a certificate of appreciation from the US Department of State - Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science for its work in North Africa and the Muslim world.