JSMT engages in Middle East and North Africa
For the last two years the John Smith Memorial Trust has been exploring the ways in which its Fellowship methodology could be extended to other regions. While the Trust will always continue to run its programme across the Former Soviet Union (funding permitting), JSMT feels that this way of working has a great deal to offer other regions and that our Fellows have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with other young leaders.
The Trust has therefore been sponsored by BP to select its first Fellow from Iraq - Ghassan Jawad Kadhim will arrive in the UK this June to take part in the 2011 Fellowship Programme. In addition, Aziz Ahmad has been selected from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq sponsored by the Kurdish Regional Government, and the Trust is hoping to launch a full blown MENA Fellowship Programme over the next 18 months.
Talking about this exciting development, JSMT Director Brian Brivati commented:
"JSMT is very pleased to welcome our first Fellows from Iraq. Ghassan and Aziz represent the beginning of the JSMT Fellowship Programme in the Middle East and North Africa. They will take full part in the Fellowship and their action plans will include an assessment of the value of the programme for their region. This is a natural and healthy development for the Trust and shows the validity and relevance of the Fellowship methodology we have developed over the past 15 years. I am sure all Trust supporters and alumni will extend a warm welcome to Aziz and Ghassan in Edinburgh, in London, and in the alumni network."
Profiles of our first Iraqi Fellows can be found here: Ghassan Jawad Kadhim and Aziz Ahmad