In November 2019, the Foundation held a successful weekend gathering in Maastricht which was attended by 18 of its Europe based scholars. The event included an informal meeting which enabled the scholars to get acquainted, a workshop which was run by a Horizon scholar, a walking tour of the city and a formal dinner where trustees, partners and friends of the Foundation got to meet Horizon’s talented young scholars.

Mai Al Qaisi, from Palestine, was supported by Horizon to attend UWC Atlantic, 2007-2009. She now works as a Project Coordinator for ActionAid in Palestine where her work focuses on marginalised communities in Hebron.

Mai was the very first recipient of a Horizon Seed Funding grant. Seed Funding grants enable scholars to set up projects which serve their communities back home. In August 2019, Mai ran a five-day music summer camp in Dheisheh refugee camp, Bethlehem. Fifty girls and boys aged 8-13 participated in the camp and enjoyed musical instrument lessons, singing, and dance tuition.  The camp used music as a tool to positively influence behaviour and to empower children to express themselves in constructive ways.  At the end of the camp, the children put on a musical and dramatic performance attended by families and friends.