Note: The reporter continued the numbering sequence thoughout the First Lady's overseas trip.
Report #1 is availabe by clicking here.
Reports #2 through 4 available by clicking here.
Reports #5 & 6 available by clicking here.
Pool Reports by Kara Voght, The Washington Post
| Sent: | Reports: |
| December 6, 2024 16:35 AST |
FLOTUS Traveling Pool Report #7 | Engagements in Doha, Qatar FLOTUS's motorcade departed RON at 1:24 PM and arrived at the Qatar Foundation's headquarters at 1:44 PM. FLOTUS, her daughter Ashley, and Timmy Davis, U.S. Ambassador to Qatar. They emerged from their vehicle at 1:45 PM to meet their greeter, Dr. Francisco Marmolejo, the Qatar Foundation's President of Higher Education. FLOTUS, Ashley and the ambassador walked along the balcony of the soaring white structure, with sweeping views of "Education City," the foundation's campus of education and research facilities. Habes Howail, the Qatar Foundation's Manager of Government Partnerships, briefed the group on the foundation's mission to bring educational opportunities, research and innovation, and community development to benefit Qatar and the broader world. He pointed out the buildings of universities that have a partnership with the foundation, including six American institutions. Next, FLOTUS received a briefing on the foundation's efforts on behalf of women's health research from four doctors affiliated with the foundation. The acoustics were very poor, so it was hard to hear much of what each speaker said. FLOTUS asked Dr. Slim Slama, Chief Executive Officer of the World Innovation Summit for Health, whether the local population had hesitated to get screenings since the pandemic, noting that, stateside, "we've found that people hesitate." Slama said that is the case in Qatar, where there is too much supply but not enough demand for testing — but that had also been true before the pandemic, noting cultural attitudes and misinformation as reasons. FLOTUS also asked about the rates of diabetes across men and women; she was told that it's slightly higher in men and that underlying genetics contribute to high rates across both genders. FLOTUS then signed the Qatar Foundation guest book: "The Qatar Foundation is a testament to the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Mozabint Nasser. As an educator, I am filled with hope to see Education City planting seeds of curiosity in its students. May we all grow like the Sidra tree as we improve human health, build community, and enrich the world we love and share." The press returned to the motorcade at 2:20, which arrived at Cornell Weill Medical - Qatar at 2:29 PM. FLOTUS and the ambassador walked into the building at 2:31 PM with Dr. Javaid Sheikh, the facility's Dean and Professor of Psychiatry and Healthcare Policy & Research, who showed FLOTUS a timeline of Cornell Weill's presence in Qatar. The group then moved into a classroom, where FLOTUS met with Dr. James Roach, the school's Associate Dean for Pre-Medical Education, and two medical students. Dr. Roach says he's heard FLOTUS just had her last day of instruction for her English class at Northern Virginia Community College; FLOTUS corrected him and said the final day of classes is next Tuesday, when she'll be giving final exams. The first medical student, Kareem Aly, described his work in robotics on a tool to keep cameras used during surgery clean throughout the procedure. "That sounds terrible," FLOTUS said as Aly described how fluids routinely ruin the view for surgeons. Aly talked about his solution, which FLOTUS said sounded "kind of like windshield wipers." FLOTUS then heard from Wadha Al Nabti, another medical student, about her research on BRCA1 and BRCA2, known as the "breast cancer genes." FLOTUS mentions her four friends who were all diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time and asks the student if the gene mutation runs in her family; Al Nabti tells her that she, her mother, and her aunt all carry it. FLOTUS encouraged Al Nabti to take up educating young women about breast cancer as her next project. (FLOTUS also accidentally mistook Al Nabti for a high school student: "They look so young!" she said, apologizing for her mistake.) Dr. Roach, originally from Texas, tells FLOTUS he's a Cowboys fan. "Ooooh, I'm an Eagles fan!" FLOTUS says, laughing. "Sports is the international language — that's what I always say." FLOTUS took photos with the group as the press was escorted out to the vans. The motorcade departed CWM - Q at 2:57 PM and arrived at the U.S. Embassy in Doha at 3:08 PM for a brief event with FLOTUS and the ambassador, which was closed press. FLOTUS departed the embassy at 3:36 PM and arrived back at RON around 4:00 PM. Later this evening, FLOTUS will attend a dinner banquet to celebrate the royal family wedding of His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Her Excellency Sheikha Fatima bint Nasser bin Hassan Al Thani at the Al-Wajba Palace in Doha, Qatar. This event is closed press. Reportable Background from the Office of the First Lady Today, December 6th, First Lady Jill Biden will visit the Qatar Foundation (QF) and Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar (WCM-Q) in Doha, Qatar, to showcase the strong bilateral partnership and shared health and educational priorities between the United States and Qatar. During the visit, the First Lady will be accompanied by His Excellency Timmy Davis, U.S. Ambassador to Qatar. Visit to the Qatar Foundation Upon arrival to the Qatar Foundation (QF) Headquarters, the First Lady and Ambassador will be briefed on the foundation and its Education City campus, which hosts six U.S. university branch campuses in Qatar. They will be greeted by:
They will be briefed by:
While at the QF Headquarters, the First Lady and Ambassador will also receive a briefing on the foundation's efforts to advance women's health research and well-being from:
Background on Dr. Biden's Work on Education A classroom teacher for 40 years, the First Lady has advocated for increased educational opportunities for all students, of all ages. From championing universal pre-school, teacher recruitment and retention, opportunities for career-connected learning, and more affordable options for education after high school, including free community college, Dr. Biden continues her work promoting quality education for everyone. Dr. Biden also continues to teach English and writing at Northern Virginia Community College, where she has been a professor since 2009. Background on Education City Education City, the QF's flagship initiative, is a campus that spans more than 12 square kilometers and hosts branch campuses of some of the world's leading educational institutes, including six from the United States; a homegrown university; and other research, scholastic, and community centers. Together, these institutes make Education City a unique model of academic and research excellence, pioneering a new approach to multidisciplinary, global education and enabling breakthroughs that benefit Qatar and the rest of the world. Background on the Qatar Foundation The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development ("Qatar Foundation" or QF) is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. Founded in 1995 by His Highness The Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Sheikha Moza, QF is a nonprofit consisting of multiple centers and programs focused on education, research and innovation, and community development for the benefit of Qatar and the world. Visit to Weill Cornell Medical - Qatar
The First Lady and Ambassador will be briefed on WCM-Q and its contributions to precision medicine and women's health by:
While at WCM-Q, the First Lady and Ambassador will be also briefed on WCM-Q's research and educational activities, including in women's health, by:
Background on Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar (WCM-Q), the first American medical school [qatar-weill.cornell.edu] established outside the United States, is at the forefront of medical education, biomedical research, and population health in the Middle East. WCM-Q was founded in 2001 through a partnership between Cornell University and the Qatar Foundation. Background on White House Initiative on Women's Health Research Launched by the President and the First Lady in November 2023, the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research aims to fundamentally change how we approach and fund women's health research. This first-of-its-kind effort, led by First Lady Jill Biden and the White House Gender Policy Council, is galvanizing the federal government, as well as the private and philanthropic sectors to spur innovation, unleash transformative investment to close research gaps, and improve women's health. As part of the Initiative, the First Lady has traveled across the country to highlight the Administration's actions on women's health research and spotlight the importance of nationwide efforts to advance women's health research and innovation. Recent engagements include:
Later in the evening, the First Lady will attend a dinner banquet, hosted by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, in celebration of the royal family wedding of His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Her Excellency Sheikha Fatima bint Nasser bin Hassan Al Thani at the Al-Wajba Palace in Doha, Qatar. This event will be closed press. |
Jill Biden, First Lady Pool Reports of December 6, 2024 Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/375355