The Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center, DC Collaborative, and National Geographic to Send 3000 Students to the 1001 Inventions Exhibition

DC Public School Students to Discover the Golden Age of Muslim Civilization at National Geographic Museum

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12, 2012 SQCC will collaborate with the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative (DC Collaborative) and the National Geographic Museum to facilitate trips for school groups from across Washington, D.C. to the National Geographic Museum to learn about the scientific and cultural achievements from the Golden Age of Muslim civilization.

The award-winning interactive exhibition promotes awareness of scientific and cultural achievements of the "Golden Age" of Muslim civilization and how those contributions helped build the foundation of the modern era. The highly interactive exhibition displays historic advancements in the fields of navigation, medicine, hydraulics, optics, mathematics, and more.

"The Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center is proud to sponsor this initiative, which will educate area students on the many positive contributions of the Islamic world to the Arts and Sciences. From astronomy to arithmetic, mapmaking to medicine, engineering to earth sciences, the contribution of Muslim civilization has had an immeasurable impact on the world we live in today," said Ridolfo. 

DC Mayor Vincent C. Gray noted the opportunity will open students' eyes. "This exhibition will help our students learn about an important facet of world history that is often given little attention in American classrooms," he said. "This opportunity is an example of how the many cultural resources our global city offers can be leveraged to expand our children's minds, and I thank the partners who helped make it possible."

The "1001 Invention" exhibition is the result of two decades of research by more than a 100 leading scholars and educators from around the world. 1001 Inventions debuted to the public on August 3, 2012, at the National Geographic Museum and is on display until February 3, 2013. 

"We are so excited for our students to experience this exhibition, to open their eyes and minds to other cultures and expand their knowledge of global learning and understanding," said Chancellor Kaya Henderson. "1001 Inventions will help make global and historical connections for our students to better enhance and support their knowledge in world history and cross-cultural communications."

Teachers who wish to partake in this wonderful opportunity to bring their students to the "1001 Inventions" exhibition are eligible to receive complimentary transportation and student tickets provided by the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center and arranged by the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative. DC public school and public charter school teachers can contact the DC Collaborative at (202) 204-7750 in order to request a date. Student lesson plans and activity sheets are available on the 1001 Inventions: Discover the Golden Age of Muslim Civilization official exhibition website at http://www.1001inventions.com/education#teachers. SQCC and National Geographic are also offering free teacher workshops. Registration can be found at: http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/exhibits/2012/08/03/1001-inventions/

The National Geographic Museum is located at 1145 17th Street, NW, and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed December 25. Other area student organizations can contact the National Geographic Museum at (202) 857-7700 to access student tickets for groups of 25 or more.

About The Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center
The Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center (SQCC) is dedicated to educating the peoples of the United States and Oman about the breadth and richness of our two cultures. SQCC promotes mutual respect and understanding between our nations and strives to educate a new generation of culturally sensitive and knowledgeable citizens in each society. Through outreach programs, scholarships, lectures, educational resources, cultural partnerships, and our Cultural Center in Washington, DC, SQCC brings the culture, history, and heritage of our nations to audiences in the US and abroad.

About the National Geographic Museum
The Museum's exhibitions and the scientific fieldwork and expeditions on which they are based are supported by National Geographic's Mission Programs, which receives generous funding by corporations, foundations, and individuals. For Further information about the 1001 Exhibition visit the official website www.ngmuseum.org

About the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative:
Nearly 70 members strong, the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative (DC Collaborative) provides equitable access to quality arts and humanities education for all DC public and chartered public schools for the growth of the whole child. Working with its partners, since its founding in 1998, the DC Collaborative produces such exemplary programs as Arts for Every Student, sending 30,000 students each year to member events.

For Media Inquiries, Please Contact:
Kathleen Ridolfo, Executive Director, Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center 
[email protected] (202) 316-8008
Louise Kennelly, Executive Director, DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative
[email protected], (202) 204-7750
Lisa Kopp, Visitor Services Manager, National Geographic Museum
[email protected], (202) 857-7154

SOURCE DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative