At the beginning of 2008 the International
Offshore Team Association (IOTA) reached
an agreement with the Qatar Marine Sports
Federation (QMSF) to launch “Class
1 for Dhreima” – an initiative
to support the Qatar Orphan Foundation.
Sheikh Hassan Bin Jabor Al-Thani, President
of the QMSF and IOTA, was instrumental
in encouraging Class 1 – a sport
in which he has been a leading figure
since 2003 – to become an active
vehicle to raise awareness of the foundation.
“In presenting this initiative
I wanted to emphasise how sport, in
whatever form or however extreme, can
support the values and the importance
of the activities of an organisation
such as the Qatar Orphan Foundation.”
During the course of the year, the association
between Class 1 and Dhreima developed
a series of activities and events that
took place at races, with the purpose
of highlighting the activities of Dhreima
and finding synergy with similar organisations
based in countries that host Class 1
GP events.
The Qatar Orphan Foundation - Dhreima
was launched on 10 June 2003 under the
patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza
Bint Nasser Al-Misnad, Chairman of the
Supreme Council. “We in the Qatari
Orphan Foundation believe that our community
values of solidarity, compassion and
cooperation make us truly capable of
providing all the support the children
need,” said Nabil Ali Bin Ali,
Chairman of the Dhreima Board, adding,
“and we are extremely happy that
the UIM Class 1 Championship has elected
to support the Foundation.”
Twenty wide-eyed VIP youngsters from
the Children’s Home in Bijela in Montenegro
were given a day to remember, spending
the afternoon with Class 1 and meeting
Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani on
Friday, 23 May at the Montenegrin Grand
Prix in Budva.
The children watched the afternoon practice
session and were treated to a slap-up
‘tea-party’ before having their pictures
taken with Sheikh Hassan and the pilots
– their favourite was clearly Nicola
Giorgi – and then joining the teams
for the Class 1 Boat Parade.
The visit was arranged by the event
organisers and IOTA as part of their
new initiative, ‘Class 1 for Dhreima’,
in support of the Qatar Orphan Foundation
and was the first of a series of activities
that will take place at races during
the course of the season to highlight
the activities of Dhreima and similar
organisations based in countries that
host Class 1 GP events.
MOSCOW
SHEIKH HASSAN DROPS IN ON CHILDREN’S
TEA PARTY
As part of the Championship’s new initiative
– Class 1 for Dhreima – in support of
the Qatar Orphan Foundation, and in
association with Good Deed, a Charitable
Foundation working with low-income Russian
Citizens, a very excited group of underprivileged
children from a Moscow orphanage enjoyed
a memorable afternoon with Class 1 at
the Russian Grand Prix in Moscow.
Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani was
the surprise guest who dropped in on
their tea-party in the Class 1 VIP hospitality,
and afterwards the children were shown
around the pits to look at the race
boats, meet the pilots and received
a host of goodies from Qatar Team members,
Matteo Nicolini and Steve Curtis.
ARENDAL
CLASS 1 PILOTS AND SKI LEGENDS BRIGHTEN
UP KIDS DAY
Norwegian World and Olympic Champions,
Kjetil Andre Aarmodt and Aksel Lund
Svindal, brightened up the day for a
group of youngsters at the BMW Norwegian
Grand Prix, who braved the overcast
and stormy conditions to watch the Class
1 Ski jumping competition.
After having tea with Class 1 pilots,
Domenico Cirilli and Nicola Giorgi,
the children watched with great excitement
as Norway’s skiing legends entertained
the crowds on the makeshift ski slopes.
CONSTANTA
A DAY TO REMEMBER FOR ALL
Children from a local orphanage will
remember the day that they spent at
the Romanian Grand Prix in Mamaia-Constanta,
for a very long time.
Class 1 treated the group of youngsters
to a wonderful day packed full of activities,
meeting Sheikh Hassan and the pilots,
riding in the boat parade, taking a
tour of the pits and getting their hands
on the rather unique Class 1 for Dhriema
‘lilo’.
And in a special event to raise funds
for the childrens home, a host of celebrities
including the Mayor of Constanta City,
Radu Stefan Mazare and TV personality,
Mihaela Radulescu, Ambasador of the
charity organisation, United Way Romania
competed in the first-ever Class 1 Nor-Tech
Match Race.
