The Minister of Planning and Economic Development witnesses the celebration of the Citadel Foundation for scholarships marking 16 years of scholarships

H.E. Dr. Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, witnessed recently the celebration of the Citadel Foundation for Scholarships marking 16 years of scholarships, and the Foundation announced the names of the sixteenth batch of scholarship winners for outstanding Egyptian students who wish to complete their scientific careers at the most prestigious international universities, bringing the total number of scholarships awarded to about 200 scholarships since the establishment of the institution.


The ceremony witnessed the distribution of scholarships to the six winners during the current year, in the presence of some government officials, business leaders, diplomatic envoys, as well as members of non-governmental organizations and academic bodies.
El-Said said that the active role played by the Citadel Foundation for Scholarships embodies a tangible contribution to the upgrading of the educational system, and the strengthening of the tremendous energies enjoyed by the Egyptian youth in various fields, which enhances efforts to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development.
She stressed that the state attaches great importance to the social responsibility of private companies, and seeks to encourage them and consolidate their leading role in community development. 
In the same context, Dr. Ahmed Heikal, the founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Citadel Company, explained that education is the main engine for social and economic development, given its role in properly preparing the next generation of society, by transferring the necessary skills and experiences for the benefit of the community.
For his part, Hisham El-Khazindar, Citadel Capital Co-founder and Managing Director, said: “Education is one of the main pillars for achieving the sustainable development goals and Egypt’s Vision 2030,"
he added that education is contributing to preparing promising generations of innovators and entrepreneurs who contribute effectively to the achieving sustainable development.
For her part, Ghada Hammouda, Citadel Capital’s Head of Sustainability and Marketing, said that Citadel Capital firmly believes in the importance of the role that private sector companies must play in leading by example and providing a role model in adopting, implementing, and disseminating responsible environmental, social and governance practices.
It is worth noting that since its establishment in 2007, the Foundation has succeeded in continuing to provide its scholarship program, with a total number of scholarships awarded to 200 scholarships, with an average of 15 scholarships annually over the past 16 years.
The Foundation was keen to continue the scholarship program despite the unexpected challenges that emerged in recent years as a result of the spread of the (Covid-19) virus, as well as the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, which led to a decrease in the number of scholarships offered.