May 24, 2004 Newsletter

1. Reflections of Stockholm
Kalthoum AL Ansary, winner of Best Secondary School Teacher, and a member of the delegation that traveled to Stockholm has written a personal account of her trip. Please read it online at
http://www.uaechallenge.com/features/stockholmtrip2004.htm

2. UAE Delegation to Stockholm
During May 11-14th 2004, a UAE delegation comprising eight winners (three students and five teachers), members of the organizing committee and chaperones attended the Stockholm Challenge festivities in Sweden. Significantly, four other people who participated in the UAE Challenge attended the Stockholm Challenge event.

Social activities included a trip to the Nobel Museum, Vasa Museum and City Hall. Despite best efforts, we managed to miss the planned boat trip by a matter of minutes, due to unforseen traffic problems during rush hour. However, as the large department stores had yet to close, some members of the group seized this lost opportunity to look for gifts for family and friends.

When traveling overseas you are exposed to different cultures and food. Pizza hutt and other fast food outlets were located close to the hotel, not to mention other shops which sold "falafel". During our many excursions, some members of the group managed to find these shops with surpising regularity.

The project exhibition was an opportunity to see projects from around the world, talk with the Stockholm finalists and to discuss projects from the UAE Challenge. Many contacts and new friends were made, and one came away with an increased sense of confidence and assurance that what we are doing is the right thing; that by sharing and learning from others we are in some way making things better for us, our students, and benefiting education in the UAE.

The award ceremony, notably different from the UAE Challenge, drew heavily on culture and history. However, the aims were the same - winners were rewarded and everyone was recognised. It was a special night to remember for all who were there.

For me, I had always wanted to return to Stockholm after winning the event in 1999. That was a special time for me, and to be able to share those memories and this event with the winners from the UAE was something just as special. I know that they made new friends, learnt new ideas and enjoyed the success of their efforts. To be recognized by your peers is one thing, but to be recognized as the best in your nation or the world is something words are difficult to describe. This was a time of celebration and reward for the best in the UAE.

The Stockholm Challenge will now be held every second year. There are also changes in organization and categories to be announced shortly. In its sixth year, the Stockholm Challenge is the pinnacle event for projects that benefit communities (educational and otherwise) either locally, nationally or globally. We have been privledged to have a close relationship with the current organizers of Stockholm, to have the ex-Mayor Carl Cederschiold attend the UAE Challenge, and to have a group of winners invited to Stockholm. These exchanges have benefited us all.

And so, for those who traveled to Stockholm, and for everyone who participated in the UAE Challenge, I wish all the best for the future.

Robert Brown
Program Coordinator 2004
Overall Jury Coordinator 2004

3. Reminder for Project Authors to enter the Global Junior Challenge
Entries to the Global Junior Challenge close on 30th June 2004. We strongly encourage project authors to enter their projects into this world competition. More information is found online at http://www.gjc.it/2004/index.asp

If you have any questions, please email us at
uaechallenge@hct.ac.ae