ROTA Joins Gates Foundation to Increase Public Access to Libraries

Doha, April 13 (QNA) - Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), Qatars leading non-profit organization and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have announced a three year collaboration deal to increase public access to libraries in Asia and the Middle East. The agreement is a testament to the common belief that ROTA and the Gates Foundation share that achieving the Millennium Development Goals will require new partnerships between all sectors and global societies, along with new mechanisms to encourage others with significant resources to engage, ROTA and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced in a statement issued here on Saturday . ROTA Director, Essa Al Mannai said here today ,"ROTA is very pleased to be a part of this important agreement. We are confident that this partnership will go a long way in expanding our efforts and create new opportunities that will improve the lives of many people in the quest for a more equal society, and thereby make a difference.". For his part, Joe Cerrell, the director of Global Policy and Advocacy for Europe and the Middle East at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said, "Public libraries are powerful development institutions that improve lives by opening a world of knowledge, information and opportunity." ... "We are very pleased to work with ROTA and the Qatar Foundation. We can expand our collective impact by supporting dynamic public libraries that help people have access to the opportunities offered by the digital world." Under the terms of agreement, the two parties will collaborate to bring public access to libraries/information in developing countries in Asia, in addition to sharing opportunities for learning, advocacy and implementation. ROTA is committed to reaching out to the Asian continent to provide those in need with quality Education, and has identified the development of education opportunities and information, communication and technology ("ICT") resources for youth in developing countries in Asia as critical to achieving its mission. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving peoples health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. The goal of its Global Libraries program is to ensure that all people, especially those in disadvantaged communities around the world, have access to information through technology in public libraries. The objectives of the agreement are to share learnings and develop opportunities for advancing education and development efforts by providing public access to information in Asia and the Middle East that will accelerate the impact which these organizations seek to reach, as well as to encourage global philanthropy. Similarly, both parties will seek to explore opportunities around development, public libraries, information access, and education resources in general and specifically with respect to the implementation of the Gates Foundation's Global Libraries strategy and programs throughout Asia. In addition, ROTA and the Gates Foundation also agreed to collaborate on facilitating relationships with individuals and organizations to advance each of their respective charitable goals. This includes identifying other areas of mutual interest in the areas of global development for resource mobilization, advocacy and public awareness. In addition, to program specific cooperation, the parties may also share and learn from one another's approach to grant making, including strategy development, grant implementation, and operations. Furthermore, ROTA, through its international program capabilities will seek to jointly develop and fund a pilot program with the Gates Foundation to implement a Global Libraries initiative in a mutually agreed upon country. Based on the success of the pilot program, ROTA and the Gates Foundation will determine a timeline and framework to consider additional initiatives in Asian and/or Middle Eastern countries that are mutually identified and fit within the program priorities of ROTA and the Gates Foundation. The landmark agreement will enable the Gates Foundation to work with ROTA to ensure that its efforts will be recognized appropriately and provide ROTA with information and access to global events to ensure ROTA is well represented as a funder for global development issues. ROTA, on its part will ensure that funds generated for the initiatives will be allocated in alignment with the Gates Foundation's grant making in the related program areas.(END)