“Building bridges between the Middle East and the Wider World”

The MBI Al Jaber Foundation is a British registered charity, with offices in London. Sheikh Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber is founder, Chairman and sole patron of the Foundation, which emerged from the MBI Trust's scholarship programme at the London Middle East Institute. Partnership is the key guiding principle for the Foundation, which prides itself on developing long-term and trusted relationships with beneficiaries. The Foundation’s work builds bridges between the Middle East and the wider world, focusing on three areas: education, cultural dialogue and good governance.

Education

Sheikh Mohamed believes education is the key to increasing understanding between the Middle East and the wider world, and for promoting transparency, accountability and equality in the MENA region. It is a catalyst for change.

He believes passionately that an investment in a person’s education stays with them for life – it cannot be sold on or de-valued and will often lead to further personal development and growth. Education gives people the chance to define their future and take control of their destiny. Sheikh Mohamed is particularly keen on ensuring that women are able to take a full and active role in Arab society; it is for this reason that he is fully committed to promoting women’s education.

From its inception, the Foundation’s scholarship programme quickly expanded to include elite institutions of higher education such as: American University of Cairo, American University of Beirut, University College London, The London School of Economics, University of Westminster and other prominent universities in the UK and Europe. In recognition of his work in this field, Sheikh Mohamed was appointed UNESCO Special Envoy for Education, Tolerance and Cultures in 2005. Through his Foundation, Sheikh Mohamed has invested millions of pounds in education projects, reaching out to students of all Arab countries, stretching from Yemen to Syria and from Iraq to Morocco. In addition to this, he continues to support numerous capital projects for high profile educational establishments in countries across Europe and the Middle East.

Sheikh Mohamed is also founding patron of, and donor to, the London Middle East Institute, a Middle Eastern think tank based at the School of Oriental and African Studies.

Cultural Dialogue

The lack of understanding and mutual respect between the Middle East and the West has, for a long time, been a source of serious concern for Sheikh Mohamed. He continues to focus a great deal of his personal resources on breaking down cultural and social barriers and encouraging integration and positive dialogue. His philosophy is founded on the desire to promote values such as respect and tolerance, transparency and understanding, whilst respecting Arab traditions. He is a founding sponsor of Olive Tree, a long-term supporter of Connecting Cultures and he supports many other initiatives and projects in this field.

Good Governance & Public Private Partnerships

Promoting good governance and transparency in both the public and private sectors continues to be a focus of Sheikh Mohamed’s work. He is a well known advocate for public-private partnerships, which focus on the transfer of best practise in governance, management and business development. He is a regular participant in seminars, lectures and conferences focused on public service, good governance and policy issues. In recognition of his work in this field he was appointed UN Spokesman for Global Forums and Reinventing Government in 2007.

For further details about the projects funded through the MBI Al Jaber Foundation, please visit the Foundation website.