Kuwait, 19 August 2010: Gulf Bank today announced that it is the main sponsor for the "Connecting Classrooms' program, a global initiative through the British Council, that creates partnerships between clusters of schools in the United Kingdom (UK) and others across the world. This partnership brings an international dimension to young people's learning, to improve their knowledge and understanding of other cultures and prepare them for life and work as global citizens.

This endorsement, in all countries, provides a platform from which broader, strategic links can be formed between areas or districts in partnered countries. The "Connecting Classrooms' initiative further provides support to schools and educational authorities, partnership seminars for Middle East and schools in the UK, funding for reciprocal visits, professional development for teachers and school leaders, advice and support in the use of information communication technology (ICT) tools and recognition through international school awards.

Fawzy Al Thunayan, General Manager of Board Affairs at Gulf Bank said: "The "Connecting Classrooms' initiative confirms our solid approach in providing the right benchmark for Kuwaiti students to interact across geographical boundaries and enhance their understanding of other societies, languages and cultures. The program offers creative and stimulating ways that lead to achieving core educational values and helps strengthen the curriculum to raise the standards of achievement across various educational institutions."

The "Connecting Classrooms' initiative focuses on three main pillars, which are joint curriculum projects that help reinforce a global dimension in young people's learning, enhancing the professional development for globalizing education and making sure that teachers and school leaders are capable enough to lead on an international level, and providing international school awards, which are considered the benchmark of excellence and recognizes schools' commitment to developing global citizens.