The A.M. Qattan Foundation was founded in 1994 and registered as a charity in the UK (registered charity no.: 1029450, registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee no, 2171893). Since 1998, it has worked towards the development of culture and education, with a particular focus on children, teachers and young artists.                                                                                                                                                                                

The A.M. Qattan Foundation is today one of the leading cultural and educational institutions in the Arab World. With an annual budget of over $2.2m almost entirely underwritten by the Al-Qattan Charitable Trust, and over 70 staff working in Ramallah, Gaza City and London, it has set a precedent for independence, transparency and innovation in several of the fields in which it has intervened. It has also built a considerable network of partners, both individuals and institutions, in a large number of countries, both among the grassroots and on a more official level.                             

 

Vision                                                                                           

A just, free, enlightened and tolerant society with a global presence; one that embraces dialogue and is a producer of knowledge, art and literature. 

 

Mission Statement                                                                                                                      

An independent, not-for-profit developmental institution working in the culture and education sectors targeting a variety of social groups, particularly children, teachers and young artists, which

 

- aims to empower free-thinking, enlightened individuals to overcome the challenges of war and injustice and to create a flourishing and dynamic society in Palestine and the Arab World;

 

- adopts a long-term, participatory developmental ethos through programmes that foster critical thinking, research, creativity and the production of knowledge, while also providing an inspiring model of transparency and excellence;

 

- advocates cultural and educational development as an essential tool of resistance for a society faced by conditions of acute political instability and humanitarian catastrophe.

 

Values 

Defence of the rights and dignity of all

Inspired by the enduring vision enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms that ï؟½All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood,ï؟½ the Foundation supports women and men to combine their self-development with the service of others, specifically through the provision of inclusive public services of a high standard.

 

Freedom, pluralism, dialogue, the production of knowledge and new thinking

The Foundation believes in the individualï؟½s rights to freedom of thought, creed, and free expression. These rights are key components of its internal policies and its work in the fields of culture and education, where the sharing of ideas and practices is considered essential for the production of knowledge and new thinking.

 

Working in a collegiate spirit of productivity

The Foundation is aware that it can only realise its goals if it has the support of its target constituencies and their shared agreement on the value, meaning and potential effectiveness of its work. As such, it always aims to operate in a collegiate spirit of cooperation and partnership with its staff and the groups it serves, whether they are children, artists or teachers.

 

The courage to be just

The Foundation realises that long-term peace, equality and prosperity require the courage to be just and defend the oppressed.