A TEENAGE Lawrence of Arabia has returned home after a life-changing desert trek.

Jack Lister, aged 18, was part of a team of international teenagers who travelled across the Sharqiya Sands in the Gulf state of Oman.

Jack and two other teenagers were recruited to join the British contingent of the 14-strong team that made the 100km (62 miles) trek on foot in eight days, with nothing but camels for support.

The expedition, organised by Connecting Cultures and British Schools Exploring Society, was aimed at promoting face-to-face dialogue between young people from Britain and the Arab world and emphasising what the group had in common, rather than what divided them.

The expedition, which started on February 9, saw the young people, from Britain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, Pakistan and Fiji, working together as a team to overcome a series of problems.

Jack, from Malvern, said: "Despite the language barrier, it was easy to communicate with other members of the group, which allowed for surprisingly deep discussions.

"It has become clear the things in life that count are values, goals and ambitions, and we are all very much alike.

"In turn, this provoked conversations as to why there is such a perceived difference between the Arab and Western worlds. We all agreed that it is the extreme actions of the few that sets our worlds apart, not us as individuals."

Mark Evans, founder of Connecting Cultures and former leader of BSES, said: In more than 20 years of running youth expeditions I have never witnessed the degree of learning both about themselves as individuals, and about each other's cultures. Some very powerful discussions have developed around the campfire from this outstanding group of young people."

The expedition, which was the first of its type, will now be repeated every year. More details are available on www.

connectingcultures.co.uk