Team building exercises and cultural exchange were part of an unforgettable experience for all

Dubai, February 27, 2007: The DHL Connecting Cultures Desert Crossing Expedition reached its grand finale recently when the 15 young challengers from six countries returned from their remarkable camel trek over 100km of the ancient A' Shariqya desert in Oman, one of the world's great desert mountain ranges.

With an average of 20-25km a day, depending on the terrain, time and strength needed to cross it, youths from Oman, KSA, Jordan and the UK as well as Fiji and Pakistan walked in pairs alongside eight camels. At nights, the team sat together around a campfire establishing links to their daily experiences. In addition, team building exercises and initiatives working towards understanding different cultures were their tools of exchange and dialogue.

Phil Couchman, Regional Director for DHL Middle East said: "The team of young people who took part from around the world in this exciting expedition had their strength and endurance tested every step of the way. Their bravery and resourcefulness embody DHL's pioneering spirit and we were proud to partner with Connecting Cultures in this intercultural initiative."

Exploring and getting a taste of what early pioneer life would have been like, participants experienced unique challenges and engaged in team-building exercises in which they developed an appreciation of the key life skills of patience, leadership, teamwork, communication and trust. The result was that all participants were able to complete their challenge while bonding with different cultures and languages.

Mark Evans, founder of Connecting Cultures commented: "In over 20 years of running youth expeditions, I have never witnessed the degree of learning that took place during this expedition. An outstanding group of young people who were in each other's company 24 hours a day, developed trust and a team based approach to problem solving and decision-making which saw them return enriched in life and experience."

As part of its partnership, DHL, the global market leader of the international express and logistics Industry paid for all logistical support of the expedition as well as the living expenses and airfare for all the participants. In addition, the initiative gained extra momentum with involvement of local and international organisations including UNESCO/Ministry of Education, Higher Council for Youth in Jordan, General Presidency of Youth Welfare in KSA and Ministry of Education in Oman.

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About DHL
DHL is the global market leader of the international express and logistics industry, specialising in providing innovative and customised solutions from a single source.

DHL offers expertise in express, air and ocean freight, overland transport and contract logistic solutions, combined with worldwide coverage and an in-depth understanding of local markets. DHL's international network links more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. 285,000 employees are dedicated to providing fast and reliable services that exceed customers' expectations.

DHL is 100% owned by Deutsche Post World Net, the group generated revenues of 45bn euros in 2005.

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© Press Release 2007