High-Profile International Figures to Take Part in the First World Innovation Summit for Education - WISE

DOHA, Qatar - Please click on the following link to access the full version of the Digital Press Release:

www.digitalnewsroom.co.uk/wise09/introduction-to-wise/

The premiere edition of the World Innovation Summit for Education - WISE - initiated by Qatar Foundation and held in Doha, Qatar, from November 16th to 18th, has attracted a remarkable line-up of high-profile international personalities, coming from the public, academic and private sectors.

The WISE multidisciplinary platform and cross-sectoral summit that will bring together an audience of 1,000 opinion leaders and stakeholders from 120 countries, including academics, political leaders, representatives of international organizations, NGO members and private sector executives.

Among the 90 world-class speakers, Gerhard Schroder, Former German Chancellor, will take the stage on November 16 and address sustainability issues, while Biz Stone, Co-founder and Creative Director of leading social network Twitter, will address the audience during the plenary session dedicated to Innovation, on November 18th.

Eminent voices are also expressing their support for the WISE initiative through written or video messages in which they also share their views about pressing educational issues.

Some of these personalities include:

- Statespersons such as current President of Senegal Abdoulaye Wade, current UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. - Renowned education experts such as Nicholas Burnett, outgoing Assistant Director for Education, UNESCO and Zhou Qifeng, President of Beijing University, both members of the WISE Awards International jury. - Prominent business figures such as General Electric President and CEO Jeff Immelt, Chris Hughes, Co-Founder of Facebook and Founder of MyBarackobama.com. - Philanthropists such as Lord David Puttnam, Chairman of Futurelab as well as Yann Arthus Bertrand, CEO of Good Planet and Director of the acclaimed movie Home.

All of their videos can be accessed at the following address: www.wise-qatar.org/en/media-gallery-vids

Photos and full biographies of WISE speakers are also available on the website: www.wise-qatar.org/en/speakers.

Below is an extract from the message addressed by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to the World Innovation Summit for Education - WISE:

“Any country which lags behind education will lag behind economic recovery. So for me, there is no greater priority than raising educational standards and making sure every child in the world can have basic education [...]. From 2010, the UK will provide GBP 1 billion a year for global education. So I urge the [World Innovation] Summit [for Education] to seek ways not just to enhance education for the rich, but to also help provide education for all [...].”

ABOUT WISE

WISE (World Innovation Summit for Education) is a global, groundbreaking collaborative initiative established by the Qatar Foundation under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned. WISE seeks to monitor and contribute to 21st century challenges and their impact on education. With 1,000 leading 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 will take place in Doha, Qatar, from November 16th to 18th, 2009. Full details on the WISE website: www.wise-qatar.org

ABOUT QATAR FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Founded in 1995 by decree of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, Qatar Foundation is a non-profit organization focusing on education, scientific research and community development. Under Qatar Foundation’s umbrella are Education City, which comprises elite universities, several academic and training programs and Qatar Science and Technology Park, which boasts more than twenty-one world-class companies involved in scientific research and development.

Chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, Qatar Foundation also aims to enhance lives through community development initiatives including Doha Debates, Reach out To Asia and Al Jazeera Children’s Channel.

Joint venture partnerships in the areas of design, ICT, telecommunications, policy studies and event management contribute to fulfilling the objectives of the Qatar Foundation.

For more information, please visit: www.qf.org.qa

For further information, please contact: Emilie Demange / Constance Lozet Tel: +33(0)1-47-42-19-54 / +33(0)1-47-42-92-78 Email : wisepr@fleishman.com

Source: World Innovation Summit for Education - WISE

For further information, please contact: Emilie Demange / Constance Lozet, Tel: +33(0)1-47-42-19-54 / +33(0)1-47-42-92-78, Email : wisepr at fleishman.com