1. Conference Istanbul nov 2014Conference Istanbul nov 2014
Mena Pearls Foundation Presents
Connecting education with business
Istanbul Conference 2014, participants:
- Al Forat Technical University
- ROC Amsterdam
- MENA Pearls Foundation
Project: Craft=Work

2. Conference Istanbul nov 2014Conference Istanbul nov 2014
Our Mission
Mena Pearls Foundation aims to promote better understanding between the Middle East &
North Africa (MENA) and the West, by increasing access to well researched, peer reviewed
information and services through digital tools, in Arabic and English.
MENA PEARLS FOUNDATION (MPF)
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3. Conference Istanbul nov 2014Conference Istanbul nov 2014
Our core values
- We are imaginative.
We imagine the future, we seek creative solutions and we act as a catalyst.
- We are connected.
We are respectful of different cultures and backgrounds and we link people and ideas.
We build bridges between citizens and institutions, policy-making and practice.
- We are considerate.
We are attentive to people’s needs.
- We are reflective.
We explore, learn and share knowledge.
MENA PEARLS FOUNDATION (MPF)
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4. Conference Istanbul nov 2014Conference Istanbul nov 2014
Our Projects
(a quick overview)
Poetry in Motion Vocational training Unified Arab Cultures
Qatar Historic & Cultural
Tourism
Water Knowledge &
Management
Chronicle/Current
Affairs
MENA PEARLS FOUNDATION
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5. Conference Istanbul nov 2014Conference Istanbul nov 2014
Poetry in Motion Vocational training Unified Arab Cultures
Qatar Historic & Cultural
Tourism
Water Knowledge &
Management
Chronicle/Current
Affairs
MPF/PROJECTS/POETRY IN MOTION
•Culture is an important component in
connecting people
•MPF facilitates the creation of a cycle of
cross-over cultural events in Europe
•This should encourage cooperation and
exchange
Tamim Al-Barghouti, MPF poetry guest

6. Conference Istanbul nov 2014Conference Istanbul nov 2014
Poetry in Motion Vocational training Unified Arab Cultures
Qatar Historic & Cultural
Tourism
Water Knowledge &
Management
Chronicle/Current
Affairs
An Najaf Al-Ashraf
MPF/PROJECTS/ARAB CULTURES
Framework of 60 pages : Describing
Arab Cultures: Cultural History of the
Middle East and North Africa – An
Outline
Written by two leading Dutch scholars,
Dr. Richard van Leeuwen (University of
Amsterdam) and Dr. Luitgard Mols
(Research Company Sabiel)
(upcoming) Start of Pilot Project
Leading Theme ‘The Abbasid Period
(749-1258)’ , delivery date (expected)
march 2015

7. Conference Istanbul nov 2014Conference Istanbul nov 2014
Poetry in Motion Vocational training Unified Arab Cultures
Qatar Historic & Cultural
Tourism
Water Knowledge &
Management
Chronicle/Current
Affairs
The Lesser Zab in Bekhme, Iraq
MPF/PROJECTS/WATERFILES
• 20 special water-related chapters
contain in-depth, comprehensive and
balanced information and insight
• cover such topics as climate change,
desalination, ground water resources
• Five MENA Water Files are planned on
regional subjects such as the River
Jordan and the Great Anatolian Project.
The MENA Pearls Foundation has taken the
initiative to dedicate means, both technical
and financial, to broaden digital information
on the precarious state of water affairs in the
Middle East.

8. Conference Istanbul nov 2014Conference Istanbul nov 2014
Poetry in Motion Vocational training Unified Arab Cultures
Qatar Historic & Cultural
Tourism
Water Knowledge &
Management
Chronicle/Current
Affairs
MPF/PROJECTS/QATAR TOURISM
Promoting Qatar for tourism
investment with valuable cultural
historical content
Online and offline exposing Qatar
cultural potentials to the local people
(specially the next generations), visitors
and the International community
Establishing a general accepted view of
the importance of fact checked cultural
and historical tourism data, also in the
context of the Gulf countries

9. Conference Istanbul nov 2014Conference Istanbul nov 2014
Our Projects
(a quick overview)
Poetry in Motion Vocational training Unified Arab Cultures
Qatar Historic & Cultural
Tourism
Water Knowledge &
Management
Chronicle/Current
Affairs
MPF/PROJECTS/FANACK.COM
Baghdad, picture from Iraq
countryfile on fanack.com

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About Fanack
Interactive platform for people seeking insight in -
and knowledge of the Middle East & North Africa
(MENA).
In Arabic & English
Focusing on both the Arab and Western youth, who
are exploring their roots and developing their identity
in relation with both the Eastern and Western world.
An independent interactive presentation on 20 MENA
countries from a local, regional and international
perspective, with in-depth information.

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About Fanack
Interactive platform for people seeking insight in -
and knowledge of the Middle East & North Africa
(MENA).
In Arabic & English
Focusing on both the Arab and Western youth, who
are exploring their roots and developing their identity
in relation with both the Eastern and Western world.
An independent interactive presentation on 20 MENA
countries from a local, regional and international
perspective, with in-depth information.
people seeking insight

12. Conference Istanbul nov 2014
Numbers of People seeking Insight (p/mnth)
Start 2011, 3.000
2014, 30.000+
2020, >100.000
Country / Territory Unique Visitors
Fanack website (fanack.com)
United States 2,127
Algeria 2,092
Saudi Arabia 1,921
United Arab Emirates 1,395
Egypt 1,278
Morocco 1,148
Jordan 1,011
Oman 880
Tunisia 720
Iraq 637
Unique visitors 20,893
% of Total
Avg visit : 00:01:52
No. of pages p/visit 2.09

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About Fanack
Interactive platform for people seeking insight in -
and knowledge of the Middle East & North Africa
(MENA).
In Arabic & English
Focusing on both the Arab and Western youth, who
are exploring their roots and developing their identity
in relation with both the Eastern and Western world.
An independent interactive presentation on 20 MENA
countries from a local, regional and international
perspective, with in-depth information.
interactive presentation

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Interactive Presentation

15. Conference Istanbul nov 2014Conference Istanbul nov 2014
Poetry in Motion Vocational training Unified Arab Cultures
Qatar Historic & Cultural
Tourism
Water Knowledge &
Management
Chronicle/Current
Affairs
Swedish Technical school in Erbil
MPF/PROJECTS/VOCATIONAL TRAINING
Masood Ahmed, Director, Middle East
and Central Asia Department,
International Monetary Fund
“Addressing high unemployment is a longstanding
but increasingly urgent challenge for MENA
countries. Unemployment in the MENA region is the
highest in the world and largely a youth
phenomenon. The share of youth (ages 15 to 24) in
total unemployment at least doubles the total
rate”

16. Conference Istanbul nov 2014Conference Istanbul nov 2014
The general Aim of our Programs
Our programs stimulate:
• transnational cultural collaboration,
• mobility of cultural actors and social and technological players across
Europe and the MENA Region.
• the development of local schools and in this way further bridging the
gap between labour market and the demands of local companies.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING
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− MENA Ambassadors/Government
− Local VET’s/Universities in the Region
− Knowledge companies in Europe (ROC Amsterdam)
− Sponsors/Corporate companies
PARTIES NEEDED TO MAKE CRAFT=WORK A
SUCCES

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ROLES OF MPF
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• Facilitator of cooperation between
projectpartners
• Linking pin between schools in the MENA Region,
Sponsors and Knowledge Parties in Europe
• Projectadministrator
• Supervisor during execution of projects

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Thank you for your time
and attention
For further information please contact:
MENA Pearls Foundation, Lange Voorhout 86, The Hague
Mrs. Zainab Al-Touraihi, Regional Director
Mr. Jeroen Kosterman, Program Director
T: +31 70 3458241
E: j.Kosterman@Menapearls.org