Omar Al-Qattan, Chair of the AMQF Board of Trustees, and Ziad Khalaf, AMQF Director-General, paid a three-day visit to the Gaza Strip, starting February 15, 2017.
Al-Qattan and Khalaf met with the Child Center-Gaza/AMQF Director, Nihaya Sirsawi, as well as the Center’s team and a group of children and parents.
The visit programme included a meeting with the AMQF Educational Research and Development Programme team in Gaza and a number of teachers.
Al-Qattan and Khalaf also toured some areas across the Strip where the Child-Friendly Areas Project is being implemented; these included Al-Samouni in Gaza City and Al-Karama Center area in Rafah.
The Child-Friendly Areas Project, conducted by the Child Center-Gaza, aims to create safe and child-friendly areas within the Strip where the needs of children can be met through an interactive environment and a set of cultural and art activities. In these areas, children are able to express themselves, develop their talents and achieve greater social integration.
“Thanks to such visits,” said Khalaf, “we are able to achieve a greater understanding of the needs and challenges of both organizations and individuals working in these difficult circumstances, especially in areas lacking vital services.” He added, “We are also able to confirm the importance of constant work and project implementation in these areas.”
Al-Qattan and Khalaf also met with two contemporary art groups active in the Gaza Strip; Iltiqaa and Shababeek.