Arab cultural leaders join peers from around the world in London to launch new British Council Leadership programme

CLI is the first network of its kind. It aims to help develop future cultural leaders in order to cultivate international partnerships and collaborations modelled on UK cultural leadership expertise.

It will provide opportunities for the international exchange of knowledge, experiences and ideas, and support people in fulfilling their potential and realising their aspirations.

In the Middle East CLI has been developed in partnership with key local practitioners and cultural organisations in response to their feedback on the opportunities and issues faced by the sector in the region.

By creating new long-lasting international relationships CLI will open more doors for cultural organisations in the region and strengthen the contribution individuals can make to driving their organisations forward for future success.

CLI is aimed at young professionals who are already actively engaged in the cultural sector and who want to play a key role in its future. Chosen participants have demonstrated a level of achievement and commitment to their work, self-development and a desire to share these experiences with others internationally.

Nasir has a degree in history and archaeology and is currently a curator at the Sharjah Archaeology Museum. His various responsibilities include overseeing the day-to-day running of the museum's operations, supervision and mentoring of staff, and the development of the museum's educational programme. He also works closely with the Sharjah Antiquities Department for excavations.

During the two-day programme, prominent cultural figures from Europe and the Middle East will debate what it means to be cultural leaders and how a new and interconnected generation of cultural leaders could work together for greater impact on society.

Participants will work together to resolve challenges they face using 'Action Learning Sets' techniques, learn from the experience of other cultural institutions and develop their own individual development plans with expert advice.

Paul De Quincey, CLI Project Director, British Council, commented:

"This meeting - the first to bring all the 2009/10 CLI participants together - represents a fantastic opportunity to explore the nature and demands of cultural leadership in important but different geographical regions. I look forward to a fascinating and lively debate that will go some way towards creating a better understanding of the complexities of cultural leadership in an international context and the potential difference that good leadership of cultural organisations can make to our societies."

Salah Salem, CLI Regional Programme Manager for the Middle East said, "The Middle East has both a rich cultural heritage and innovative contemporary cultural scene to share with the rest of the world and help improve understanding between cultures. Cultural Leadership International aims to help the arts and cultural sector of the Middle East flourish by providing opportunities for individuals with potential."

"Internationally, the cultural sector has an important role to play in the world economy and in strengthening international co-operation. By investing in the next generation of cultural leaders, the British Council is using its long-established expertise in the arts to support a strong and healthy cultural sector for years to come," he added.

Nasir Bin Hashim added, "The British Council's CLI programme is really innovative. It provides a great and a unique opportunity for future leaders to gain the necessary skills required for the role they are expected to play in leading the cultural scene in their countries, and on an international level. Supporting the other cultural institutions, in various cultural fields, is a great initiative through which the British Council is, once more, playing a vital role for the communal benefit, building cultural links between countries in the region and the UK, as well as internationally."