Qatar Duty Free has donated the proceeds from a limited-edition Toblerone auction to the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, with the funds earmarked to support the charity’s Assalam Schools in Qatar. The auction concluded after a month-long global sale that ran across nine participating airports.
Luxury chocolate turned into classroom support
The item at the centre of the campaign was a handmade Toblerone Crystal Bar, modelled on the familiar milk chocolate triangular bar and set with Swarovski elements. One of the nine individually numbered and certified Crystal Bars went on display at a dedicated pop-up in the South Node at Hamad International Airport during the auction. The Doha sale recorded the highest winning bid among the airports involved.
Qatar Duty Free selected the EAA Foundation as the recipient of the funds, saying the donation will be directed to the foundation’s work with the Assalam Schools in Qatar. The initiative builds on an existing relationship between the EAA and the Qatar Airways Group, which has supported the foundation since its establishment in 2012.
“We are delighted that the sum raised will go towards supporting their crucial work with the Assalam Schools in Qatar. We are grateful to everyone who took part and helped bring the campaign to such a meaningful close.”
The comment above was made by Thabet Musleh, Chief Retail & Hospitality Officer at Qatar Airways Group, who underlined the partnership’s focus on education as a route to improving children’s lives.
What the funds will support
Education Above All says the donation will back efforts to provide inclusive and quality learning for children in Qatar through its Assalam Schools programme. Dr Mohammed Abdulla Al Saleh, Partnerships Director at EAA Foundation, commented that the money will help children in the country access education, adding thanks to Qatar Duty Free, the Qatar Airways Group and Mondelēz World Travel Retail for their involvement.
Mondelēz World Travel Retail, which manages the Toblerone travel retail activities, described the campaign as part of a global luxury initiative intended to transform airport spaces beyond transit points.
- Item auctioned: Toblerone Crystal Bar (handmade, Swarovski-embellished)
- Campaign duration: 1–31 July
- Participating locations: Nine airports worldwide; Doha achieved the highest bid
- Beneficiary: Education Above All Foundation — funds to assist Assalam Schools in Qatar
| Feature | Known detail |
|---|---|
| Number of Crystal Bars | Nine individually numbered, certified items |
| Display site in Doha | South Node, Hamad International Airport |
| Auction period | 1–31 July |
Context and implications
The donation ties into broader philanthropic activity by aviation and retail partners to support education projects. The EAA Foundation, established in 2012, specialises in expanding access to schooling for children affected by poverty, conflict and disaster. In Qatar specifically, the Assalam Schools aim to provide inclusive learning opportunities for communities that face barriers to education.
For schools and educators, contributions of this kind can help fill gaps in resources and services that enable children to attend and benefit from education. While the announcement does not specify the exact financial figure raised at the Doha auction, the event’s outcome reiterates how corporate partnerships and creative fundraising in travel retail environments can be marshalled in support of local education initiatives.
Representatives from the campaign partners expressed gratitude to bidders and passengers whose participation converted a luxury promotional item into direct support for schooling. The effort also points to an increasing trend in the travel sector: using retail activations to generate social impact alongside commercial activity.
As the Assalam Schools receive the donated funds, education stakeholders in Qatar will be watching how the money is applied to classroom provision, teacher support and the removal of barriers that keep children out of school.
Further details on how the funds will be allocated by EAA have not been published by the charity beyond confirming the money will support Assalam Schools in Qatar.
