CHICAGO, IL – Qatar Airways was proud to support Friends of Conservation (FOC) at its annual Conservation Ball in Chicago this past weekend. The airline donated two round-trip Business Class tickets for auction to raise money for the FOC, which works to preserve wildlife and promote sustainable natural resource management in East Africa.

“This event is about the value of community, at home and abroad,” said Mr. Gunter Saurwein, Qatar Airways Vice President of the Americas. “We are honored to help the Friends of Conservation empower local communities in Eastern Africa, and pleased to find so many like-minded individuals here in Chicago who care deeply for the conservation of Africa’s wildlife and natural beauty.”

Established in 1982 to aid preservation of fragile ecosystems in East Africa, Friends of Conservation works with the Masai Mara communities to find ways to interact with wildlife and to assist in finding ways to manage natural resources. Community programs also reach 50 Mara schools on conservation education.

The annual event was hosted by Event Chairman and FOC President Reute Butler at the Four Season Chicago and featured a live auction, which included two tickets on-board Qatar Airways’ award-winning Business Class. The event raised money for Friends of Conservation and was even attended by renowned naturalist Jack Hanna.

Qatar Airways has recently expanded its own service to Africa, including new routes to Zanzibar, in 2015. Routes to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, and Kilimanjaro have been particularly popular with travelers from North America, who previously had limited access to East Africa with pre-existing routes.

“As we saw tonight, Eastern Africa remains one of the most beautiful natural ecosystems on our planet,” continued Mr. Saurwein. “We take great pleasure in bringing world travelers to this majestic region and we salute the Chicago community for supporting Friends of Conservation, as they seek to preserve these wonders for future generations to enjoy.”