Istanbul, Turkey: Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah met with an excited crowd of 150 children and volunteers at the Dreams Workshop in Istanbul today. A joint initiative of the Educational Volunteers Foundation (TEGV), Nokia and the International Youth Foundation, the Dreams Workshop reaches disadvantaged children through creative arts-based activities while also enhancing the self-esteem, communication and problem-solving skills of the Workshop’s older youth volunteers.
Accompanied by the Foundation’s Vice Chairman, Oktay Özinci, and young volunteer Hilal Erdinç, Her Majesty chatted with children and their volunteer mentors as they engaged in creating marbling pictures and claywork ın the Dreams Workshop. Children presented Queen Rania with a child’s painting from the workshop as a memento of her visit.
Queen Rania is in Istanbul as part of a two-day visit to the city to promote Jordanian-Turkish collaborations in the field of Early Childhood Development and Education. During her stay, she visited a number of prominent Turkish educational initiatives. Her Majesty is a renowned advocate for education, and has begun several educational initiatives targetting women, youth and children.
The Queen is a member of the governing Board of the International Youth Foundation. The Dreams Workshop project is part of the Make a Connection program, a global 24-country initiative of Nokia and the International Youth Foundation.
“Her Majesty Queen Rania is an extraordinary person who has shown an unbelievable spirit and rapport with children from around the world,” says Nokia Country Manager, Alessandro Fiorentino. “Her conviction in the power and potential of youth is the same belief that fuels the Dreams Workshop which is helping shape the lives of thousands of young people and children in Turkey.”
The Dreams Workshop is one of several non-formal education activities offered by TEGV through its expansive network of education parks serving less priviledged children.
About The Educational Volunteers Foundation
Educational Volunteers (TEGV) is a non-profit organization currently serving the educational needs of children and young people in need throughout Turkey (aged 7-16). One of the foremost non-governmental organizations operating in the educational field in Turkey, TEGV aims to support basic education nationwide by enhancing the skills, competencies, attitudes and values of children and youth, and the transferable skills of volunteers delivering educational activities. Since its founding in 1995, TEGV has reached more than 650,000 children and young people through non-formal activities carried out with the active support of over 15,000 volunteers in enhanced settings at 86 locations. Mentoring provides youth and children with a crucial opportunity to acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes related to basic issues such as health and nutrition, and to hone essential life skills such as communication, problem-solving and technological competency. TEGV is a member of the International Youth Foundation. For more information please visit www.tegv.org.
About the Dreams Workshop
The Dreams Workshop project is a life-skills enhancement program for volunteers enacted through creative art and design workshops with children. The aim is to enhance the self-esteem, communication and problem-solving skills of volunteers while reaching disadvantaged children and adolescents through creative activities in art workshops generously equipped and resourced for creative learning in sites across Turkey. Begun in June 2003, in three years this project will have supported over 800 volunteers and 30,000 children throughout Turkey in becoming confident and positive community members, creating their futures in “Dreams Workshops”. This project is being realized by the Educational Volunteers Foundation as part of the “Make a Connection” program, a global joint initiative of Nokia and the International Youth Foundation (IYF). For more information please visit www.dusleratolyesi.org or www.nokia.com.tr.
About Nokia
Nokia has a positive impact on society that extends beyond the advanced technology, products and services the company creates. Through its cooperation with the International Youth Foundation and other regional philanthropic and social responsibility programs, the company prepares young people to embrace opportunities created by the global economy and new technological advancements. The company has been an active regional contributor to youth and education causes for many years, with Nokia employees making their own contributions as volunteers in a range of programs throughout the world. More information about Nokia is available at www.nokia.com
About International Youth Foundation
The International Youth Foundation (IYF) is working in close to 70 countries and territories to improve the conditions and prospects for young people where they live, learn, work, and play. Established in 1990 to bring worldwide resources to young people in need, IYF works with hundreds of companies, foundations, and civil society organizations to strengthen and "scale up" existing programs that are making a positive and lasting difference in young lives. Over the last 15 years, IYF and its global network of in-country Partners have helped millions of young people gain access to the life skills, education, job training and opportunities critical to their success. For more information please visit www.iyfnet.org.
