Theme: Sharing The Vision

The program focuses on sharing an array of perspectives and ideas of how to enhance and maximise the curriculum provision for our children by exploring options outside of the conventional classroom.

Qatar National Museum
Qatar National Museum
Museum Park St
Doha, Ad Dawḩah, 2777
Qatar

Claire Olivier

Embedding inclusion in education

Claire started teaching English and Social Studies in a school for previously disadvantaged students in South Africa. Despite multiple barriers to learning and class sizes that could reach 100 students, each student matriculated and 90% of her students achieved university acceptance. After reaching the semi finals of the South African National Teaching Awards, Claire taught GCSE English and Media Studies for 5 years in Rochdale. Although 32% of her students achieved above a B, her concern was for those who were struggling and she co-founded a charity for youth at risk that won the 2010 Rochdale Mayor's Award for Best Youth Charity. In 2010, she moved to Seoul with her husband where she was a learning support teacher and received a masters in inclusion. Once again, her passion for student empowerment manifested with service learning where her students have received international recognition (including a message from Ban Ki Moon).

Essa Al Mannai

Director of Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar

Since 2019 Essa Al Mannai has served as the Director of Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar, spearheading the development of the new institution designed to challenge and inspire children and advance the Qatar National Vision 2030 for human, social, economic and environmental development. Mr. Al Mannai was previously Executive Director of Reach Out to Asia at Qatar Foundation, leading the delivery of ROTA’s operational and strategic objectives and overseeing the positioning of ROTA as a key player in developing education and youth programs across Asia and the globe. Essa gained his MBA from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK after reading Mechanical Engineering at Qatar University. He is an alumni member of the Executive Leadership Program at the Qatar Leadership Center.

George Tavola

Engagement Manager, Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) Programme, Education Above All (EAA) Foundation

George Tavola is a Fijian New Zealander who has worked in education, training, international development and volunteer management for the last 20 years in over 20 countries across the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific. He has a Master’s Degree in Professional Education and Training, and for the last twelve years has worked in Qatar for Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) – a Programme of the Education Above All Foundation where he is currently an Engagement Manager. In this role, he works with organisations around the world to support projects that engage marginalized youth as volunteers and active global citizens and inspire them to take informed actions that build more secure and resilient communities. George is married with six kids and loves travelling and getting into nature.

Jelena Trkulja

Senior Advisor for Academic and Cultural Affairs at Qatar Museums

Jelena Trkulja explores and develops ideas on how the art world and informal education can transform modern societies. As Senior Advisor for Academic and Cultural Affairs at Qatar Museums, Trkulja creates educational strategies and fosters cultural diplomacy to encourage collaboration between museums, universities, and schools. She envisions museums as progressive, socially-invested educational institutions that promote cultural exchange and understanding. Trkulja’s interdisciplinary background, which includes a Ph.D. in art and archaeology from Princeton University and years of experience teaching at universities and working in non-governmental institutions, consulting companies, museums, and the art industry, brings a unique perspective to her work. Through this experience and her position at the nexus of intensive exchange involving teachers, government officials, and prominent contemporary artists and architects, she has gained a deep insight into all aspects of education.

Jonathan Harper

FRSA, CEO OF Future Foundations & Co-Founder of Global Social Leaders

Jonathan is an award-winning social entrepreneur, who has partnered with Vodafone, McKinsey, and Amazon Web Services to develop transformational employee development programs supporting young people's life-skills and well-being. He has created youth leadership programs for the British government and partnered with the LEGO Foundation to develop a programme to foster playful learning and advocacy among young people. In 2013, Jonathan co-founded Global Social Leaders, which has equipped over 10,000 young people to deliver 3,500 social action projects in 100 countries responding to the Global Goals. He is passionate about fostering a community of schools and partners, committed to building a global movement of socially conscious young people who are equipped to be leaders in their lives and society.

Katherine Milton

Educator: theorist and teacher

Katherine is a passionate educator who is captivated by the power of integrity in an educational landscape. She advocates for personalised learning as a critical focus for education systems, and reflects this in her classroom teaching by adapting curricula to a self-paced mastery approach that places the learner’s understanding and holistic wellbeing at its centre. Through her research, Katherine seeks to inspire a global movement of education reform that builds on the foundation of compassion, so that each individual may celebrate their strengths and learn how to apply their skills to address the needs of today’s society.

Kristina Cheffins-Polden

Teacher of Performing Arts and theatrical educator

Kristina is a passionate advocate for The Arts in education and in making connections within the local community. She believes in utilising the power of creativity alongside dedicated teaching of extensive technical skills to foster self-expression, relieve stress and develop inherent social-emotional skills. Kristina seeks to inspire students to push boundaries and take performance risks in order to improve their confidence and develop life skills that they can use on a daily basis.