Doha, QATAR – CNN anchor Richard Quest is to be the official Master of Ceremonies at the inaugural charity gala dinner on November 16 launching the ‘Reach Out To Asia’ fund-raising drive, initiated by key organisations across Qatar.

Quest is one of CNN’s most high profile news and business anchors and correspondents, based in London. In addition to presenting CNN’s European morning editions of Business International, he also has his own monthly interview show, Quest and the monthly feature programme, CNN Business Traveller.

Qatar Foundation, Qatar Airways and the Doha Asian Games Organising Committee (DAGOC) recently announced the ‘Reach Out To Asia’ campaign to raise funds for the underprivileged and disadvantaged across Asia. A website promoting the charity drive was launched this week – www.reachouttoasia.qa

The Asian continent is Qatar’s focus of the charity drive as the capital, Doha, will next year host the 15th Asian Games – the biggest ever sporting event to be staged in the Gulf State.

‘Reach Out To Asia’ has been put together under the auspices of Her Highness Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, daughter of the Emir of Qatar.

Over the next few weeks and months, the three organisations will work collectively to drive the fund-raising campaign, which will involve high-profile events in Doha, including charity concerts and exclusive gala dinners attracting personalities from the world of showbusiness, royalty, sports and politics.

The inaugural event is a charity dinner taking place at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Doha on November 16. Canadian rock star Bryan Adams will be special guest at the event taking place under the patronage of The Heir Apparent His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani – who is also chairperson of the Asian Games – and Her Excellency Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Sohaim Al Thani.

The charity dinner will also be attended by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and his wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned.

Adams will give a live performance on the night, which will also include a charity auction of items specially donated by international celebrities. The talented rock star will return to Doha early next year to perform a live charity concert on February 1.

Richard Quest is known for his unique and charismatic approach to reporting everything from light-hearted stories to political events.

Earlier this year, he reported from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland; he was an anchor from Rome during CNN’s coverage of the funeral of Pope John Paul II; and he also reported on the launch of the Airbus A380 superjumbo live from Toulouse in France.

He has presented programmes from Britain, India, Australia and across the United States. Since joining CNN in February 2001 from the BBC, Quest has covered a variety of different subjects for CNN’s news and business unit, ranging from anchoring the network’s London coverage of the 2003 war in Iraq to reporting on the Queen Mother’s funeral, the wedding of Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, the London May Day riots and the launch of the Euro in Frankfurt.

Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said it was an honour to have a distinguished media personality run proceedings at the inaugural ‘Reach Out To Asia’ charity dinner.
“Richard Quest is a well-known face with a well-known voice in TV and it is indeed excellent news to have a key media figure as the master of ceremonies at such an important event here in Doha in two weeks’ time,” she said.

“With his own distinguished style and flair to excite a TV audience, I am sure he will be able to captivate guests at the charity dinner and get them to reach into their pockets and support such an important cause.”

‘Reach Out To Asia’ was launched in September by Qatar Foundation, Qatar Airways and DAGOC to extend the hand of friendship and help to the many countries across Asia which are experiencing serious social difficulties in terms of poverty, inadequate healthcare, homelessness, disease and natural disasters, such as last year’s devastating tsunami.

Social issues such as HIV, blindness and poverty will be the focus of the ‘Reach Out To Asia’ campaign, which will also involve active participation from children of all ages and nationalities from schools and colleges across the State of Qatar.

Doha-based Qatar Foundation will run and manage ‘Reach Out to Asia’ in line with the Foundation’s mission to promote education, science and community development in Qatar.

Qatar Airways, the national airline of the State of Qatar, and official partner of the 15th Asian Games Doha 2006, currently operates an extensive network of flights across Asia. Through ‘Reach Out To Asia’, Qatar Airways – a sponsor of CNN’s ‘Quest ‘ programme – is demonstrating its social commitment to give back to the many communities of the countries it serves.

Sheikha Mayassa added: “Reach Out to Asia is the best way to show compassion to the 45 participating countries in the Asian Games, and to encourage the involvement of the Qatari community for Doha’s largest sporting event.

“By working together we are pledging to bring a ray of light into the hearts and minds of those in need and provide just a little something to ease their pain and suffering.”