Ambassador LeBaron attends QLA end-of-year ceremony
June 25, 2009
U.S. Ambassador to Qatar Joseph LeBaron spoke yesterday at the end-of-year ceremonies at the Qatar Leadership Academy (QLA). Acknowledging the vision of HH the Emir and HH Sheikha Mozah in establishing the school, the Ambassador congratulated the faculty, the parents, and the students themselves for their academic success.
“The achievements of the students at the Qatar Leadership Academy are a testament to what we can accomplish through educational partnerships,” said the Ambassador. He also applauded QLA’s emphasis on leadership and community service—values that are shared by American and Arab cultures alike.
QLA was established in 2005 as a member of the Qatar Foundation in close cooperation with a similar institution in the United States, St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin. QLA students have demonstrated academic excellence combined with individual leadership and a dedication to Islamic values and culture.
Since it’s founding, the U.S. Embassy has worked closely with QLA, sponsoring visits by American musicians and sports figures to the Academy and introducing QLA students to U.S. service members in the Army, Navy, and law enforcement. The events have given QLA students the opportunity to showcase their leadership and hospitality, as they have taught their American guests about their Islamic faith and Qatari culture -- even teaching a group of U.S. Navy sailors how to ride camels.